|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
Culinary Camp helps broaden teens' horizons
4:37 p.m., Aug. 4, 2006--This summer UD's Department of Hotel Restaurant and Institutional Management (HRIM) introduced Kids' Culinary Camp for teens 14-17, in addition to its two sessions for 10-13-year olds. Thirteen teenagers spent Monday-Friday mornings, from July 31-Aug. 4, in Vita Nova's kitchen learning the art of cooking from Debbie Ellingsworth, HRIM instructor and pastry chef. “We taught them how to use kitchen equipment safely, how to cut vegetables so as not to cut themselves. We went over kitchen sanitation, nutrition, food-borne illnesses and how to prepare healthy meals,” Ellingsworth said. Each day the group would prepare a different meal. One day it was Mexican lasagna with strawberry smoothies and churros, a cinnamon and sugar pastry. Another day they made waffles from scratch. While they were learning what ingredients to use, Ellingsworth said she stressed how to go about each step safely, pointing out possible health hazards. Of the 13 kids, eight were part of Alexis I. duPont High School's federally funded Gaining Early Awareness & Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, or GEAR-UP, program that works with “at-risk” children. The College of Human Services, Education and Public Policy's Delaware Center for Teacher Education, has been collaborating with faculty and staff at the high school since January 2002 to improve GEAR-UP students' chances of getting into college. Ellingsworth said that when tracked closely and nurtured along the way, GEAR-UP children have an 80 percent success rate in college. The center saw the culinary camp as a way to broaden middle-schoolers' horizons and give them incentive to achieve, she said. Teens were told that if they maintained at least a 2.5 grade point average, GEAR-UP would pay their $175 tuition, Ellingsworth said. “I fell in love with them within a half hour. Several have said they want to come to UD when they graduate from high school, and some are interested in HRIM,” she said. Everyone had a good time, she said, and the kids get to keep their recipe books emblazoned with their names in glitter glue, a cutting board and an HRIM mug. “I'd like to expand the size of this age group next year,” Ellingsworth said. She's also considering winter classes and classes for UD faculty and staff. The course ended on Friday, Aug. 4, with a graduation ceremony and a last meal consisting of individual pizzas from scratch and a chocolate fountain for dipping whatever their hearts desired. Article by Barbara Garrison |
|
|
