Moon Café, summer camps and internships provide hands-on learning and mentorship.
The local nonprofit offers students ages 14 to 18 a wide range of opportunities, from job training at its in-house Moon Café to internships with community partners. Kei’Ana Nabor, public relations and marketing manager, said the goal is to create meaningful experiences rooted in real-world preparation.
“This is often their first job, but we’re training them for so much more – whether they stay in food service or go into something completely different,” she said.
The Moon Café, located just inside The Launch Pad’s entrance, has more than a menu. There’s a pool table, foosball, comfy couches and spaces to read, relax or just hang out. But the café is also where many teens take their first steps into the workforce – and the program is now being revamped into a three-tier training system.
The first level, called Project Launch Camp, is a three-day workshop offered twice a year. It focuses on professionalism, resume building and workplace etiquette. Teens tour local restaurants and meet with City of Prescott human resources staff for tips on dressing for success. At the end, they receive a certificate of completion.
Tier two, Brew to Crew, gives students hands-on barista training. Over the course of four weeks, participants train two afternoons a week to learn customer service, food prep, kitchen safety and more. They walk away with a certificate listing the skills they’ve acquired – something they can show potential employers.
The third level connects students with Opportunity and Leadership Director Joy Goff, who helps them obtain internships tailored to their interests. Current placements include the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, Gray Dog Guitar and The Launch Pad itself. Past partners have included Prescott Valley Parks and Recreation, Sadie Sarti Design and several small businesses.
The Moon Café also offers paid apprenticeships lasting a year. After six months, students can become shift managers, with a raise. “As they get more managerial skills, they have the skills to obtain jobs in the community,” Nabor said.
Fifteen-year-old Mounay Radtke, a shift manager who’s been with the café for about a year, said the experience has boosted her confidence. “Meeting a lot of people has positively impacted my social life,” she said.
The Launch Pad stays busy outside the café, too. During the school year, it runs after-school programming from 2 to 8 p.m., and in the summer, it hosts a variety of camps. Band Lab teaches students how to form a band and put on a show. An arts camp shows young creators how to make and sell their work, including a chance to sell at the rodeo craft fair downtown.
Financial literacy classes are taught by Desert Financial, while Corvis Distributors provides food safety training.
Nabor, who’s been with The Launch Pad for three years and worked with teens for a decade, said the program has evolved with the students it serves. “Some want longer sessions, but the main thing is they want training for real-life situations,” she said. “In all my years working with youth, I have never seen anything like this. We are there for every student who feels they don’t have a space elsewhere. We don’t ask the students to adapt to us; we adapt to them. We have strong values that put teens first.”
Academic mentoring is another core offering, with support ranging from subject-specific help to building confidence for test-taking.
Leadership at The Launch Pad is shared. Its governing board is made up of half adults and half teens. “We want to make sure that youth have a strong presence in Prescott,” Nabor said. “I’ve always had a soft heart for teens. Young kids are like sponges who want to learn from adults. Teens want to learn from adults, but they also want someone to listen.”
The Launch Pad offers clubs focused on adventure, art, music and the ever-popular Dungeons and Dragons. Mental health support is also available, and economically eligible students receive free meals and camp access.
“We are a giant machine with a lot of moving parts,” Nabor said. “On any given day, come in after 2 and you will see 20 to 80 kids involved in different activities.”
She credits a strong leadership team for the organization’s success. “We see the potential in the teens, but we also see the potential in each other,” she said. QCBN
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
Photo by Stan Bindell: Shift Manager Mounay Radtke, in the Moon Café with Marketing Manager Kei’Ana Nabor, says the experience has boosted her confidence.
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