The interaction takes just minutes.

A student walks into one of the cafes many Butler County schools have installed in recent years. They order a coffee or smoothie, or perhaps a light snack. Money is handed over; change is made. The assembly line rolls on as a worker makes the order and gives it to the student, who goes on his or her way.

While it seems like a normal, everyday interaction, school officials say it’s much more than that.

The cafes are often staffed by exceptional students within those schools. In working those jobs — which include being a cashier, making drinks, checking stock and cleaning up the work area — they are learning valuable skills that can be used later in life.

In recent years, Mars, Seneca Valley, Knoch and Slippery Rock have created the cafe concept, with measurable results.

Officials at those schools said the cafes provide a way for students to learn skills in an environment that is comfortable to them.

It also allows them to experience more minute aspects of working a job, such as adjusting to different management styles and working with others.

It also exposes students to a work environment in which they are essentially in charge of the operation. School officials have been quick to note the sense of pride the student workers feel showing up to the cafes each day — a statement confirmed by the smiles and excitement seen when they greet their fellow students.

While being able to learn those valuable skills makes the cafes a success on their own, it’s the social interaction and growth of the school community that make these programs so beneficial.

Often, students with special needs are limited in their interactions with the general population. While some integration occurs in the classroom, that is not necessarily a setting in which students can learn about one another or establish relationships.

The cafes serve to do just that.

Although the interactions might be brief, they can serve as a catalyst for something greater. It could be as simple as a pleasant greeting or compliment. Those moments of engagement compound each time a student returns for a drink or snack, and eventually, a relationship forms.

It is commendable that Butler County schools are putting forth the effort and resources needed to create these cafes in the schools. If just one student feels more accepted or forms a relationship because of them, the expense and time is certainly worth it.