Shark Bites Cafe
AIA’s student-run store for real-world skills, confidence, and community impact. With predictable routines and gentle coaching, students practice job tasks, social communication, and money management in a safe, joyful setting. It’s real-world learning designed for dignity and growth.
Real Roles. Real Skills. Real Joy.
Shark Bites is Autism Inspired Academy’s student-run store. Each shift gives students authentic work experience, while revenue funds Community-Based Learning (CBL) outings across our community.
Who
High school students aged 14 years old and older, in AIA’s Workforce Program serve our K–12 campus.
What
Weekly store shifts with roles like cashier, host/hostess, stock, and customer service.
Why
Build communication, money management, teamwork, and self-advocacy.
Impact
Proceeds support Community-Based Learning (CBL) experiences.
How Shark Bites Works
Hands-on experience, supported coaching
Shark Bites opens once a week for our entire student body. High school students rotate through real workplace roles, cashier, host/hostess, stock, and customer service, supported by visual checklists, predictable routines, and caring coaching. Younger students participate as customers, practicing purchasing, budgeting, decision-making, and expected behaviors in a real-world setting.
From campus to community
Revenue from Shark Bites directly funds Community-Based Learning (CBL) activities, structured outings where students apply their skills in authentic community environments.
What Students Learn
- Customer Service & Communication: Greeting, clarifying questions, closing interactions.
- Money Management: Counting change, using point-of-sale tools, reconciling totals.
- Time Management & Task Sequencing: Arriving prepared, following checklists, meeting shift expectations.
- Teamwork & Problem-Solving: Coordinating roles, adapting when plans change, asking for help.
- Self-Advocacy: Sharing needs, requesting support, communicating preferences respectfully.
- Workplace Etiquette: Professional language, hygiene, safety, and reliability.
Why It Matters
Psychological — Identity & Self-Efficacy
Meaningful work builds the belief: I can do this. Each successful shift strengthens confidence and motivation.
Emotional — Confidence & Joy
Predictable routines and positive coaching reduce stress and invite joy, making it easier to handle new challenges.
Developmental — Communication & Executive Function
Real work requires planning, prioritizing, collaboration, and flexible thinking, skills that transfer to every area of life.
Families & Vocational Rehabilitation
Partnering with families for smooth transitions
AIA assists parents in signing up for Vocational Rehabilitation and helps place students in aligned career camps. We also welcome VR students to gain experience on our campus, and we’re exploring what it would take for AIA to become an independent vendor (assessing benefits and limitations carefully).
Have questions about VR?
Our Workforce Program Coordinator, Ms. Salvatore, serves as the liaison between families and Vocational Rehabilitation. Email info@autisminspired.org.
Work with us to create inclusive pathways
We collaborate with local employers to offer:
- On-Site Practice Opportunities (stocking, hospitality, clerical tasks)
- Workplace Tours & Career Chats
- Supported Work Experiences with clear roles and coaching
We’ll help define tasks, ensure safety and dignity, and set up win-win experiences for students and teams.
Inclusion is a Practice
Shark Bites is designed with accessibility in mind, visual supports, predictable routines, sensory-aware practices, and respectful coaching. We prioritize choice, autonomy, and dignity in every interaction. Read more bout how Shark Bites is creating real-world work experience and confidence:
Shark Bites at AIA: Where Real-World Work, Confidence, and Community Come Together
At Autism Inspired Academy (AIA), we believe meaningful work experiences can change a young person’s life. Our Workforce Program equips high school students (grades 9–12, aged 14 years and older) with the practical skills, emotional readiness, and social confidence they need to move toward independence. A cornerstone of this program is Shark Bites, our student-run…
FAQs
Let’s build pathways to adulthood, together.
Whether you’re a family member, employer, or supporter, there’s a place for you in this work.
Explore Other Enterprise Programs
