By Emma LaMonte
The smell of brewing coffee suffuses the space, as sounds of teenage giggles and chatter light up the atmosphere with a contagious sense of joy. Laughing Horse Coffee & Tea Co. in Harrison is not just another café — it’s where many Rye High School students gather to work and connect.
Nine Rye High students and several graduates work at the shop. The cafe’s workspace is great for students who spend their afternoons and weekends balancing schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and managing stress.
It has also been a social media darling as of late because of a visit from New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson, who lives in Westchester. And others report spotting famed St. John’s basketball coach Rick Pitino there, too.
But for Rye High sophomores Sadie Fu and Nola Zicari, it’s just the place they have worked as baristas since October. The average shift, they said, lasts from three and a half to five hours. With the increase in the number of RHS employees, getting a shift has become more competitive.
“The only thing that’s really changed since October is that it’s a lot harder to get shifts now,” Zicari said. “We normally only get one to two per week.”
Despite that, working and managing school hasn’t been a major challenge for her and the other student-employees.
Emily Walsh and Ryan O’Donnell, new hires, said the application and training process were simple; the only complicated part was contacting the owners. LHC is mainly run by high schoolers and young adults, so it is notably hard to reach the owners, Mike and Ali Nazzaro. Once they expressed their interest, however, the girls participated in a quick interview, turned in their working papers, and signed up for training shifts.
Walsh trained alongside Fu.
“I trained for two five-hour shifts,” Walsh said, “which was basically just me shadowing one of the workers who happened to be one of my good friends, so it was super chill.”
While having to memorize different recipes for drinks was a bit challenging at first, handy menu cheat sheets around the kitchen made the process much easier.
While at work, the employees prepare different kinds of coffee, matcha, and meals like avocado toast. Being quick learners with solid communication skills helps, and the relaxed atmosphere takes off a lot of the pressure.
Working alongside friends makes the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. Sophomores Elsa Fahlgren, Anna Cicotti, and Charlie Bancroft all get to work together.
“Working with friends is so much fun,” Fahlgren said, “sometimes I forget I’m even working.”
The atmosphere gives the three girls plenty of opportunity to laugh or chat as friends and co-workers.
Co-owner Ali Nazzaro said the best part of having high school employees is that they make the space welcoming for customers and future baristas alike. She trusts them with the significant responsibility of running the cafe, which ultimately leads to their growth as students, employees, and people.
