8 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY SEPTEMBER 10-16, 2026 www.montereycountynow.com 831 When Central Coast High School opened its student-created coffee shop, Nepantla 831, in May, students gained a place to learn the practical skills of running a cafe. But selling coffee is only one part of its purpose. CCHS is an alternative public high school in Seaside serving students within the Monterey Peninsula Unified School District. Community School Coordinator Chantelle Cafferata says chronic absenteeism is a significant challenge in alternative education, where many students have repeatedly been failed by the educational system. “We have to create the conditions where they feel successful,” Cafferata says. “Success breeds success.” Cafferata compares the school’s approach to success to a three-legged stool: building employable skills; community partnerships that bring real-world expertise to campus; and stability through assistance with food, housing and mental health needs. Nepantla brings together the pathway and partnership legs of the approach. The barista pathway gives students hands-on experience, while partnerships with local coffee businesses bring professional knowledge, behind-the-scenes tours and realworld guidance into their education. Students helped shape the cafe from the beginning, including choosing its name. Because many CCHS students have Mexican or other Latin American heritage, teacher Tracy Niewenhous guided them in researching words from Aztec and Mayan cultures. They chose Nepantla—the middle ground between one place and another. The word resonated at a school where students arrive after leaving traditional campuses and may spend a semester to two years preparing for what comes next. “We’re that place where they go through some transformation, which can be uncomfortable at times, but that we really try to support,” Niewenhous says. Nepantla became CCHS’ first linked learning project, bringing culinary, sustainable societies and English together around a shared goal. By contributing to the same project, the classes reinforced one another. In sustainable societies, for example, science teacher Hope True guided students in examining the waste generated by coffee shops, including disposable cups and coffee grounds. The school’s culinary teacher, known on campus as Chef, led the culinary side of its development. Chef worked with students to develop the menu. As students began making the cafe their own, they experimented with new drink recipes. “They’re really having fun with being creative, like thinking about new ways to make banana-strawberry matcha drinks,” Niewenhous says. “They have agency.” For an English project about change, students invited community partners to Nepantla to discuss changes the visitors had experienced in their lives. By welcoming the guests and leading the conversations, students stepped out of their usual role as learners and became hosts. The cafe also creates connections beyond campus. Students visited Acme Coffee Roasting Co. and Counterpoint Coffee (where they got an introduction to latte art) in Seaside. Captain + Stoker in Monterey offered an in-depth look at how the shop had grown. Aptos-based Cat & Cloud donated 10 pounds of espresso beans and plans to provide an on-campus demonstration. Smooth Coffee Company, a Sand City specialty roaster founded by Noah Reeves, supplies beans at close to cost. Reeves developed a blend for Nepantla, and students will help name it and create its product identity. Although Nepantla and its partnerships are still new, currently serving students and staff with a goal of opening to the public, staff say they have already helped shift the school’s culture, creating a more welcoming environment where students connect, contribute and take ownership. Students say the cafe is making a difference. “Nepantla helped me become more outgoing and confident because it’s a safe space, and I learned real work experience,” Keven Martinez says. For Angelique Arellano Torres, “Nepantla is really cool because it helps me learn skills that can lead to bigger things in life.” Confidence Brews Central Coast High School’s student-run coffee shop teaches practical skills in a real-world environment. By Tonia Eaton “It helps me learn skills that can lead to bigger things.” TALES FROM THE AREA CODE ABRIANA YOUNGBLOOD Central Coast High School students (from left) Hannah Russo, Mareli Mendoza Ramirez, Angelique Arellano Torres, Lindsay Hernandez Diaz and Shylla Counsell stand at the front counter of Nepantla 831, ready to take orders. Annual Coastal Cleanup Day Saturday, September 19 9AM-12PM Sign Up! JOIN THE CLEANUP • VOLUNTEER AT SAVEOURSHORES.ORG
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