A fresh start with a new cup of tea
November 8, 2017
Two years after its predecessor club, Coffee Association of DBHS, went inactive, the Diamond Bar High School Coffee and Tea Society is brewing a comeback.
Originally, the club offered free coffee-making classes to students, but it went inactive due to the high costs associated with purchasing espresso machines for its members. At its peak, the organization had roughly 40 members.
Senior president Megan Li revived the club this year in order to share her passion for caffeine with other students on campus. She added the tea component to the club in order to appeal to a wider audience.
The club opts to inform members about coffee and tea rather than instructing members how to create the drinks, which avoids the high costs associated with the club’s inactivity.
Li wanted it to be a place where students could enjoy themselves and meet new friends who share the same passions and interested in the drinks.
“Coffee and Tea Society is a safe haven for students to go on campus,” Li said. “Like how a lot of students go to Starbucks after school to do homework or meet up with friends, CATS is a place you can do that on campus during school.”
During the club’s monthly meetings, officers distribute tea, coffee and snacks. They present information about the origins of the tea and coffee they pass out. Li said she wanted each meeting to be a forum for discussion and a place where members can bond over their shared interest in coffee and tea.
At the first meeting, officers gave out green tea and shared information relating to its history, which included discussing the differences between the Japanese and Chinese versions of the drink. The coffee was donated by a local business, Mr. Baker Bakery and Cafe.
In addition, Li said the club hosts games for members at its meetings. Students who attended the first meeting competed in a Kahoot quiz about the information given during the meeting, as well as pieces of trivia about the officers. The winner received a complementary Chick-fil-a gift card.
“I have good friends there, and I like coffee, so it’s like killing two birds with one stone,” senior Justin Feng said.
In the future, Li hopes for the club to host volunteering events in which its members will have the opportunity to share beverages with the Diamond Bar community. She also said that the club is looking into working with other local businesses but Mr. Baker is currently their go-to option.
