Did you know the cup in your hands directly supports middle school learners?

That’s right… Pinwheel Coffee is about more than just exceptional drinks crafted with house-made ingredients, locally-roasted beans, and lots of love. Pinwheel is about real-world learning experiences with real-world impact. That’s because Pinwheel is the home of Embark Education, a micro-middle school embedded right within the walls of the shop.

Meet Embark Education

Embark’s micro-middle school and adult learning experiences are designed to inspire what is possible in education by supporting learners of all ages to courageously inquire, engage, and discover a sense of self. Embark’s micro-school serves 30 sixth, seventh, and eighth grade learners from across the Denver metro area. Education for Embark middle schoolers is grounded in learning experiences that are designed around authentic shop needs and operations. From crafting and pitching seasonal drinks to designing merchandise, Embark learners are the co-creators behind some of Pinwheel’s most beloved and biggest endeavors, including the shop's first foray into roasting!

Supporting Self-Discovery, One Cup at a Time

Embark is a learner-centered middle school that grants learners the time, space, and trust to capitalize on their strengths while receiving the guidance needed to meet their academic, social, and emotional needs. Learners truly are the heart of all that we do! Pinwheel and Embark are centered to support social development, interpersonal growth, and the questions adolescents often have around “Who am I?” and “Where do I fit into this world?” 

We invite learners to be partners in their educational experience and exploring the answers to these questions. Learners examine who they are while simultaneously exploring their role in our surrounding community. Their actions and decisions impact the shop, the school, and the larger community! 

This level of trust, faith, and respect for adolescents may not be common, but they rise because of it, and they feel it deeply.

In a nationwide survey of over 40,000 adolescent learners, Embark learners were asked to respond to a series of statements about their school experience. Here are some of our favorite highlights: