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3-30-15 — Saturday Cooking Camp Encourages Students to Grow as Chefs
March 30, 2015 ~ Filet of beef, twice-baked potatoes, garden salad with homemade ranch dressing, rolls and molten chocolate cake may not sound like something the typical teenager would try to make for dinner, but a dozen Indian Trail Middle School students did just that during a recent Culinary Arts Camp. Not only did they tackle a fairly complex menu, they did it on a Saturday afternoon.
"I was impressed by the number of students who were eager to spend part of their Saturday honing their cooking skills," Family and Consumer Science teacher Anne LeVar-Hash said. The Culinary Arts Camp was her answer to the dilemma of how to challenge some of her advanced students who wanted to learn more in the kitchen.
"I came up with the idea when I saw that there were some kids in class that I could raise the bar with," she said. They volunteered to come in before or after school to help prepare food for faculty meetings.
"I found it amazing that I could just hand them the recipe, give them the ingredients and they would prepare, plate and serve dishes with little to no instruction," LeVar-Hash said. "Many of my students do not have the opportunity to be exposed to higher level cooking skills. As I work with my students in class, I find that some kids are ready for more complex recipes and want to be pushed to do more with their culinary skills."
The March camp, and two others yet to be scheduled, were funded with a $700 classroom grant from the Olathe Public Schools Foundation.
"We all appreciated the opportunity presented to us through the OPSF grant!" LeVar-Hash said. She already has plans to apply for a future grant so that even more of her students can explore higher level cooking skills.
In her regular Family and Consumer Science classes, LeVar-Hash teaches students about much more than the art of measuring, mixing and baking. They learn about reading the labels on ingredients so they know how much to purchase of each item to make a recipe. They talk about budgeting their time before guests arrive for dinner, and how to make sure everything is ready on time.
The Culinary Arts Camp takes all of that to a new level and students loved the challenge.
"I am constantly amazed by what my students can do," she said. "I raise the bar and they continue to do more! They worked flawlessly and we discussed their interest in the 21st Century Culinary Arts Program at Olathe North. I believe that some of my students have the work ethic, interest and potential to enter and be successful in the program."