Students from both Truxton Academy Charter School and Marathon High School walked away from a cooking competition as winners recently. By no means was it easy, and you can ask the other schools that both schools beat around the state to be the chosen first place in their divisions.
From the press release:
“Students and teachers in grades three through twelve were exposed to beef production and nutrition by developing a marketing strategy for a food product of their choice and design. In this hands-on experience, students were exposed to the versatility of beef and safe food handling practices while also learning about the multitude of agricultural careers and skills it takes to develop and sell a product.
Due to the pandemic and uncertainty in scheduling faced by New York schools, this year’s contest was designed differently than in previous competitions. Students, teachers, and parents were invited to attend multiple live and pre-recorded events to learn about the broad array of professions involved in the beef industry. By designing the contest in this format, students were able to participate from home or from their classrooms. Participants were invited to ‘Hear it from the Pros’ in a live video about the careers involved in the beef industry, virtually visited Lehning Farms, cooked along with Chef Cruz Nieves at Rella Rochester, and about marketing and branding from two experts. Students dived into food safety and honed their cooking skills with pre-recorded videos made by the New York Beef Council.
Students created beef-centric recipes with a global street food theme. Students explored different cultures and flavor profiles while creating their beef product that could be sold at a market, on the street, or at a fair. Submissions included American, Mexican, Greek, French, and Native American inspired dishes. Students filmed their own commercials, drew logos, and designed websites to market their products.
The entries from across the state were judged by a panel of beef producers and industry experts. Each entry was evaluated on the product, market analysis, marketing plan, and the beef nutrition analysis. The first-place classroom in each division will receive $250 and a banner to display their achievement. Outstanding projects were also recognized with an additional $25 prize for achievements in the categories of ‘Most Entrepreneurial’, ‘Most Creative’, ‘Most Unique Recipe’, and ‘Most Persuasive’.”
We spoke with Truxton Academy Charter School Classroom Teacher Jennifer Hull, and she connected with a few of her students(in their own words).
Two of the cooks modeling the backs of the uniforms. Kaylin (Left) and Amira (Right) Truxton Academy Charter School
Two of the cooks modeling the front of the uniforms. Kaylin (Left) and Amira (Right) Truxton Academy Charter School
Brigitte Ulrich assists the cooks from Truxton Academy Charter School.
Jennifer Hull (Classroom Teacher)
Q: What was the most rewarding part of the event?
A: As a teacher, the most rewarding part of the event was seeing the pride and excitement that students showed with their finished product. They took the work seriously and had fun doing it.
Q: Do you see any other competitions in the future, and will the community ever get a chance to try the recipes?
A: In developing the recipe and business plan, we hope to see it being used at future local festivals and fairs as a fundraiser for our school.
Claire Tice, 3rd grader
Q: What was the competition like?
A: I didn't realize that it was a competition. We were just having fun coming up with ideas for food that we could serve to the school.
Q: How long have you been a chef?
A: I was a chef for like two days before we made the burritos. I chopped the tomatos and ripped the lettuce.
Q: Where did you learn to cook?
A: My mom taught me to cook.
Q: Who had the recipe or was it made from scratch?
A: We worked with Ms. Brigitte to make the recipe.
Q: Do you want to own your own restaurant? If yes, where would the restaurant be located and what would you serve?
A: No. That would cost a lot of money.
Lennox Eastman, 3rd grader
Q:What was the competition like?
A: I liked when I made the beef because I made it and other people ate it.
Q: How long have you been a chef?
A: I was a chef for about a week. Now I know that I can cook.
Q: Where did you learn to cook?
A: I learned to cook at my house.
Q: Who had the recipe or was it made from scratch?
A: I made the recipe!
Q: Do you want to own your own restaurant?
(If yes, where would the restaurant be located and what would you serve?)
A: No. I want to eat from restaurants.
We plan on having a follow-up to this story with the students from Marathon in the near future.
