A student is writing an argumentative essay about opening a coffee shop at school for his
teacher. Read the draft of the essay.
Opening a coffee shop at school would benefit students. Each morning, sleepy students and staff drag their feet as they enter the school building. They would perk up as the fragrant aroma of freshly made coffee floated through the hallways. A friendly student barista working at the school coffee shop would greet others and describe the daily specials. For a low cost, students and staff could purchase the drinks. The students working at the coffee shop would benefit from preparing the drinks, collecting the money, and working with the customers. The customers would benefit from having an early morning treat, giving them a boost to start their day. As anyone can see, a coffee shop would be a great addition to any school.
_________________________________________________ Having many customers in long lines may make students late for class. When students are late, they lose valuable opportunities to be prepared for the day’s lesson. If students are not prepared for learning, their academic performance may suffer. Furthermore, the caffeine present in many of the coffee shop’s offerings can be harmful to a young person’s energy level. Caffeine may produce a rush of energy, but it is only temporary. Some people experience a drop in attention span a couple hours after drinking a caffeinated drink. They actually can become sleepy! While it sounds like a good idea, having a coffee shop at any school could have negative effects on students’ opportunities to learn.
Write a counterclaim statement to introduce the second paragraph. Be sure your statement is appropriate for the audience and purpose of the essay.