It’s healthy, refreshing and looks really pretty.
Those are the persuasive words Ms. Jackson’s third-grade class at Sam Hughes used to try and get Desert Drifter Coffee to feature the smoothie they created.
Good news: it worked!
For the rest of the month, Desert Drifter Coffee, at 419 W. Speedway, will be featuring the Javelina Special, a fruity, allergen-free smoothie that is not only made by students, but benefits them too.
Before Brenna Yunkherr and her husband, Eddy, started Desert Drifter Coffee, Brenna was a teacher. In fact, back in college, Mrs. Jackson was her mentor.
When Brenna saw an email from Mrs. Jackson in their inbox asking if they were interested in selling the smoothie her third-grade class created, it was an instant yes.
As part of a class project, the students were tasked with picking various flavors and ingredients to create an allergen-free smoothie that was vegan and gluten-free. They even used fractions to create the exact measurements needed to make the drink.
Mrs. Jackson's students wrote letters to Desert Drifter Coffee about the smoothie they created.
Along with their recipe, the email also featured persuasive letters from the students, detailing why their smoothie was the perfect addition to the Desert Drifter Coffee menu.
“It’s the best I’ve ever had in my life.”
“O my God it is soooooooo good. Please add to your menu.”
“It is perfect for hot summer days.”
“Pritty please with a cherry on top.”
Those are just a few of the convincing statements the students sent to the Yunkherrs.
Reading the email left Brenna smiling from ear to ear, how could she not say yes?!
The Javelina Special was going to the big leagues.
Brenna and another coworker went over to Mrs. Jackson’s third-grade class to deliver the good news, carrying coolers full of the deep purple smoothie.
“I brought in the cooler, and one of the kids goes, I can deduce from that cooler, that you’re going to make our smoothies,” Brenna said. “We got to have a smoothie party for 30 minutes.”
The students got to have a smoothie party to celebrate the Javelina Special.
The students even got to make their own sticker to go along with the smoothie. The very colorful sticker features a winking cartoon javelina surrounded by purple smoothies.
Now the most important part: what does the smoothie taste like?!
The smoothie is made of bananas, strawberries, blueberries, mango juice and chia seeds. The tangy flavors of the strawberries and blueberries really liven up the smoothie, giving it a nice sweetness that cools you down after bracing the hot temperatures.
The students were right: it was definitely refreshing!
Not only does the smoothie taste good, but it also does good! All of the profits from the smoothie will go straight to Sam Hughes Elementary School.
Since launching in April, Brenna has seen various students and parents in the drive-thru, eager to try the Javelina Special.
“Everyone's so happy and excited about the collaboration,” Brenna said. “We're also getting all these new parents coming through and trying it, which is amazing.”
You have until the end of April to try the Javelina Special. Stop by and try the smoothie that encapsulates all the cuteness of javelinas without the scary teeth.
Desert Drifter Coffee also has a charity coffee every month that supports the local community. This month is the Bookworm Breve, which supports Make Way for Books.
