Students and adults recently lined up to purchase coffee, muffins, salads and sandwiches on the opening day of the new café at Diamondhead Education Center in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District 191.

The café, as yet unnamed, is the most recent addition to a former shopping mall that has become a community learning center for all ages.

Burnsville High School Associate Principal Gene Roczniak helped create the café to serve as a learning environment for students. Students in business marketing classes will use it as a laboratory. Poetry students are giving readings on the café's small stage. Other classes gathered to hear a speaker from a local TV station recently.

"We've encouraged teachers to use the café in any way that suits the curriculum," he said.

Diamondhead Education Center, 200 W. Burnsville Parkway, Burnsville, has become a south-of-the-river learning hub. In addition to Burnsville High School's senior campus, five colleges and universities offer classes there, many school district programs are also located at Diamondhead, the building includes Early Childhood Special Education classes along with a wide array of community education programs.Tom Umhoefer, director of the district's community education department, said the number of people who come to Diamondhead for learning has grown every year. He and Roczniak saw the increased numbers of people at their building and wanted to create a café as a new feature to benefit everyone.   

"This can be a gathering place for all generations," said Umhoefer.

The café is open Monday through Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Fridays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.