Good food nourishes the body, mind and spirit and is a big part of a healthy lifestyle. Exposure to the culinary industry can be an amazing entry level career opportunity for teens that can lead to post secondary education, a job or entrepreneurship. Technology and food are great combinations to foster innovation. This program will run in conjunction with our literacy-boosting program, Readers to Leaders - giving kids a delicious incentive to attend our reading events.
All students, especially disadvantaged youth, need access to high-quality learning opportunities to spark their interest in careers and to be better prepared for them. Students need applied, hands-on activities that help close the achievement gap and empower them while providing real world experience.
Teens interested in culinary arts will provide healthy low cost snacks and beverages at spoken word events at the Club. Local culinary professionals, culinary instructors, culinary school students and nutritionists will serve as mentors and instructors. Teens will learn to prepare and serve the food and customers while developing self-sufficiency and job skills. Teens will manage the process from creating the menu to sourcing the ingredients to food prep to bookkeeping.
Teens develop entrepreneurial skills and get an opportunity to engage in an incubator environment. Students will become more engaged in school, develop a career pathway, graduate from high school then enroll in some level of post-secondary education that will lead to employment and/or business development. 200 teens will participate. Awards will be given to top three teams determined by a panel of judges comprised of business and community leaders, enterpreneurs and investors.
