WYOMING, Mich. — Students from Godwin Middle School in Wyoming participated in a unique culinary experience at the Godwin Mercado, learning essential cooking skills through hands-on activities.
The students are part of Team 21, an after school program that serves kids in the Wyoming neighborhood. The program offers various activities and programs ranging from arts and crafts to science and technology.
For this culinary experience, Team 21 partnered with H.O.P.E Gardens, a non-profit organization that teaches students about growing their own food.
"They spend time in the garden, plowing, planting, growing, harvesting, recently, winterizing a lot of the gardens." said Eric Mockerman, Project Director for Team 21.
The culinary event featured three different stations: food preparation with a local chef, table setting through floral designs, and making fizzy drinks, with vegetables from H.O.P.E Gardens. Students practiced proper knife techniques and food safety while preparing their meals.
"It was cool to figure out, like, how we cut things, yeah, and how, like, you're supposed to hold a knife and stuff." said Omarion, a student apart of the event.
The hands-on experience created excitement among participants, with many trying new activities for the first time.
"I'm excited to make the juice. Like, I've never tried this, sometime you have to try different things sometimes," one student said. "I just started on Team 21 but I really have enjoyed it, getting to engage in a new community, getting to do fun activities like it."
Team 21 focuses on exposing students to potential career paths they might not otherwise encounter.
"It's beyond exciting anytime that I can bring in potential career paths for our kids and expose them to, hey, there's all kinds of things that you could do that they may not know somebody that works in that industry," Eric said.
Student Hawa found particular inspiration in the kitchen activities.
"I like to it because it's about cooking. It's abou how you cook, how to clean, like you don't cook with your menu. So, yeah, it's nice." Hawa said.
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