Special education students are learning life skills while they whirl up and serve smoothies from a new stand outside the Tamaqua Area Middle School’s main entrance.

The venture, called “Sweet Inclusion,” began at the end of the school year, explained Julia Shoff, life skills teacher.

“We were just doing it in the building, just selling to teachers,” she said.

But on Tuesday — and just days into summer break — students and teachers opened the shop to the public. Visitors were greeted by punchy music, along with waves and smiles from the students, who help at Sweet Inclusion every step of the way.

“We’re working on teaching them different job skills, life skills, money skills, communication and social skills,” Shoff explained.

On Wednesday, the students and teachers whipped up piña colada and strawberry banana smoothies. Mixed berry was on the menu the day before.

“These are flavors that we kind of in a way perfected,” Shoff said. “We will eventually try some more flavors and see what people like.”

Students meet staff at the school to prepare and label the drinks.

“They take orders, they hand them out,” Shoff said.

The goal is for the school to eventually have its own store to employ special education students, she noted.

Recently, “Sweet Inclusion” was registered as a nonprofit organization.

During the summer, the shop will be open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays during sports practices and band camp. It usually opens at 11 a.m. but times fluctuate based on sports practices and when more people are expected on school property.

Also helping with the Sweet Inclusion shop are Alicia Murphy, emotional support teacher; Hannah Murphy, emotional support paraprofessional, Corrine Miller, special education paraprofessional and Ann Fronheiser.