Barre, Vermont - June 7, 2011
Something is cooking in Mr. Woodard's eighth-grade chemistry.
Five teams of students are given a core list of locally-grown ingredients; onions, carrots, beets and potatoes to name a few. The assignment-- a 55-minute race against the clock to develop, prepare and cook a unique, edible creation.
After working with classmates teams come up with names for their recipes. There's team Potato Palooza, Flavorful Frittata and what's destined to become a classic-- Grand Theft Omelets.
Reporter Alexei Rubenstein: What would you say is the singular thing about your creation-- what's unusual about it?
Sonya Vance: Carrots-- putting the carrots in it.
For many of these kids, whose favorite foods usually don't stray beyond pizza and mac and cheese, the goal is to introduce them to new foods grown right around the corner.
"We're working with 10 local farmers getting local food and there are all different ways they're cooking it. Some of them are tying it into social studies, some science some language arts, math. But I'm hoping they get excited about cooking, they get excited about using local ingredients and they realize they can make something that good," said Joseph Kiefer of Food Works.
Just like a science lab, each group carefully documents they're procedure.
"We're like writing down our ingredients. And how we made it-- our steps," said Megan Whitcher and Autum Payette. "So if you like it you can make it again."
Putting science aside for distracted students on the homestretch to summer, it makes for an appealing assignment.
"I think the fact that they get to eat it and present it as a little of a taste test challenge between groups-- there's more motivation, more incentive to get involved," science teacher Jason Woodard said.
And the final test for the Flavorful Frittata-- not bad. Bon Appetite in Barre.
In addition to their other programs, Food Works will have worked with all 850 kids at Barre City Elementary School by the end of the year.
Alexei Rubenstein - WCAX News
