On the first of the month, four Spartan students and their staff sponsors made their way downtown at day’s end.
“Do I want a coffee? Uh, yeah!” joked Layla Guevara, enrolled in the English 12 class.
And more than a coffee or tea met the “Leave to Learn” field trip at The Hawthorn Tree that afternoon – the students were also treated to a generous conversation with owner Susan Allen.
Allen, a Cheyenne native that returned to the area a few years ago, offered some great insights into building culture and community.
“Over the years, I’ve learned that customers really want originality; they are drawn to come back to places that feel like a real resource to them.”
Originality is certainly true of “the Hawthorn”, as the students called this lovely downtown location. Allen chatted with the students among the shelves of the store, stocked high with herbs and tea tools. “We make everything from scratch – everything – our caramel syrups don’t come from a storebought pump, we made that ourselves.”
Most of the students hadn’t been in Allen’s store before, which highlights one of the corollary goals of the “Leave to Learn” project. Teachers Justin Earnshaw and Sandra Bott report that students are often unaware of the great opportunities available right here.
“Our community only grows if we are good gardeners,” Earnshaw said, “and we need to support those hubs that offer us something unique and important we might not get elsewhere.”
Bott concurred, saying, “Are you kidding me – you can get a tea, buy great gifts for your family, and even join a yoga class or meditation room? Having it all here makes this a special place.”
Indeed, The Hawthorn Tree has developed into a multi-hyphenate resource for the community. From the wall of local business cards and events, to a modified coffee urn that dispenses local honey, to fundraising events like this summer’s “Spill the Tea” derby race (with benefits going to the tree-planting nonprofit Rooted in Cheyenne), Allen’s charming downtown site is more than the sum of its parts.
The trained herbalist and her 24 million possible combinations for a custom blend have certainly earned some fans from Triumph.
Per student Becca Burton, “Can we do this, like, every Friday?”
