Students at Interagency Academy participated in a 12-week cooking program called Recipes for Success, led by Solid Ground Youth Food Educators. This initiative, a collaboration with PCC Community Markets and Organically Grown, aims to teach essential cooking skills alongside social-emotional learning. Each week, students visited PCC’s demonstration kitchen to learn about cooking, food safety, and teamwork while preparing various recipes, including banh mi sandwiches and innovative cookies.

The program encourages creativity in the kitchen, allowing students to experiment with ingredients and work collaboratively. In addition to culinary skills, it fosters self-motivation and communication, helping students who may struggle in traditional classroom settings. Many students expressed increased confidence in their cooking abilities and found joy in the learning process.

The program addresses food access challenges faced by students, providing fresh meals and a space for building community relationships. With its success, there are plans to continue and potentially expand the program to other schools, highlighting the importance of equitable access to cooking education and nutritious food.

A young cooking class student smiles as she holds out a bahn mi sandwich on a plate.
A young cooking class student smiles as she holds out a bahn mi sandwich on a plate. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
Two cooking class students show off their trays of drop cookies.
Two cooking class students show off their trays of drop cookies. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A close up of hands assembling bahn mi sandwiches.
A close up of hands assembling bahn mi sandwiches. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A cooking class instructor leans across a crowded kitchen counter top as students work to prepare various ingredients.
A cooking class instructor leans across a crowded kitchen counter top as students work to prepare various ingredients. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A cooking class student carefully slices scallions on a cutting board.
A cooking class student carefully slices scallions on a cutting board. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A bowl of julienned carrots and daikon radishes.
A bowl of julienned carrots and daikon radishes. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A cooking class student carefully juliennes carrots.
A cooking class student carefully juliennes carrots. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A row of cooking class students practice julienning carrots on individual wooden cutting boards.
A row of cooking class students practice julienning carrots on individual wooden cutting boards. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A stack of French rolls alongside carrots, scallions, and other ingredients for bahn mi sandwiches.
A stack of French rolls alongside carrots, scallions, and other ingredients for bahn mi sandwiches. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A plate of MnM-chocolate chunk drop cookies
A plate of MnM-chocolate chunk drop cookies Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
Two plates of freshly baked cookies
Two plates of freshly baked cookies Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
Balls of raw cookie dough on a cookie tray.
Balls of raw cookie dough on a cookie tray. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
Two cooking class students chat about the cookies they're making.
Two cooking class students chat about the cookies they're making. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
Two cooking class students laugh as they work on their recipe.
Two cooking class students laugh as they work on their recipe. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
Two cooking class instructors smile as they pose together.
Two cooking class instructors smile as they pose together. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A cooking class student in a black hoodie smiles at the camera.
A cooking class student in a black hoodie smiles at the camera. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
Two cooking class students work on their cookie dough.
Two cooking class students work on their cookie dough. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
Two cooking class students weigh and mix ingredients.
Two cooking class students weigh and mix ingredients. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A cooking class student carefully weighs ingredients on a digital scale.
A cooking class student carefully weighs ingredients on a digital scale. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
A cooking class student measures ingredients for cookies.
A cooking class student measures ingredients for cookies. Posts: Building skills for the kitchen and beyond 
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