Allen Elementary has a few new staff members working in its cafeteria this year.
The school off 23rd Avenue started a new after-school cooking class for second- through fifth-grade students. The classes meet from 3 to 4 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays in the school’s cafeteria. Students make a dish, then learn different topics, including cleanliness in the kitchen and measuring ingredients.
“We went over hand-washing and how easy it is to spread germs,” said Alice Gibson, the cafeteria manager, stopping to tie an apron on a student.
Mike Haskey mhaskey@ledger-enquirer.com After preparing the cupcakes, the students, including second grader Taelue Vincent,7, took off their food preparation gloves and eat what they had just created. 11/05/09
Gibson organized the classes this year because she said she liked cooking with her grandchildren. The class made mini pizzas one week; for Halloween the students made “mummy wraps” — tortillas filled with peanut butter and chocolate chips.
“We usually try to keep it nutritious, but today we’re making cupcakes, so it’s not nutritious today,” Gibson said.
She had 85 students sign up for the classes. Gibson runs the classes with the help of volunteer cafeteria workers and custodians who choose to stay later and help out.
Sylvia Futrell, a lead custodian at the school, passes out cupcakes and Ziploc bags of icing to her group of students.
“You’re doing such a good job,” Futrell says, encouraging fifth-grader Lauren White, who is putting gobs of white icing on top of a cupcake. “It’s like you’re making rosettes.”
“I didn’t mind helping out at all,” Futrell said. “Anything for the children.”
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