• CHOCOLATE UNIVERSITY
• BOYD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Fourth/Fifth Grade
• PIPKIN MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Cocoa Cares
• CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
  Cocoa Honors
• MISSOURI HOTEL
  Computer Lab

We're Not Too Cool for School

That’s why we created Chocolate University to teach children and teens in our neighbor about topics related to our business: direct trade, sustainability, and entrepreneurship.

Chocolate University was created to benefit the children of the Askinosie Chocolate factory neighborhood. Nearby Drury University is a partner in this endeavor. It was formed with a vision to provide a learning experience to Boyd Elementary, Pipkin Middle School, and Central High School students through the lens of artisan chocolate making. Shawn Askinosie was motivated to found this program because he wanted to reach out to the neighborhood children. The factory is located in the Historic Commercial Street District and is one block from the Missouri Hotel, Springfield’s largest homeless shelter, where too many children have to spend the night. Many of the kids attend nearby schools just blocks from the factory and near Drury University. The goals of the project are to inspire the children about (1) entrepreneurship and (2) a world beyond their own. Askinosie Chocolate is the sole funding source of Chocolate University by donating 100% of their tour proceeds to Drury University for the benefit of the neighborhood children. The many projects of Chocolate University are designed to impact the children of the neighborhood.

Click here to read the Chocolate University blog.