Café Mühle: A Place Where Community Comes Together

The young people at Steinmühle Boarding School continue to put their hearts and hands into refining the concept for the new “Café Mühle” at the school’s tennis facility. “We want to tailor it as best as possible to our needs,” explain Lennard and Helene, the two main organizers behind the café. The renovated and redesigned gathering spot plays a major role for the students themselves during boarding school weekends. Hot and cold drinks, smoothies, and pastries invite students to gather and socialize. The Pen and Paper Club meets there regularly, reports boarding school counselor Marlon Welsch. Other group activities also take place there.

 

Encounters and Exchange

In the medium term, the goal will be to adjust the café’s hours and offerings to align with the operations at the adjacent tennis facility, so that active athletes can also stop by Café Mühle from time to time. “Above all, the café is meant to be a place where people can meet and build a sense of community,” adds Philipp Dönges, assistant head of the boarding school.

“Café Mühle” is a project run by the Inno-Club of the same name at Steinmühle Boarding School. The Inno-Clubs focus on various topics, such as event planning, the boarding school council, decoration and design, and content creation for social media.

 

Shaping and Expanding Your Own World

Philipp Dönges: “The Inno-Clubs are primarily intended as spaces for participation. Young people should have the opportunity to independently and collaboratively help shape, change, and expand their living environment—in line with their individual abilities and interests, and with the goal of identifying new skills and interests.”