BY TRACY LEE TATE
Special to the Times
LAKE BUTLER—Union County High School has a delicious offering among their career and technical education programs – Culinary Arts, taught by Lori Howard.
The three-year program is open to all grade levels, with the three levels taken in order. All three levels are taught as 53-minute classes, with much hands-on experience.
Level 1 focuses on food-borne illnesses and their prevention as well as kitchen safety. Level 2 involves more actual cooking as students learn about knife skills and making stocks and sauces. Level 3 covers presentation, putting meals together, and serving.
Students get to select many of the recipes they prepare and work together to produce them.
Upon completion, students will have the opportunity to take their certification test for Servesafe, which allows them to enter into a position in the food service industry, including some grocery stores.
Like all of the CTE programs, students learn life and career skills, giving them the basis to continue to learn throughout their lives.
“The food industry hires many entry-level workers, which can provide students who need to go to work immediately after graduation or need a job while in college,” Howard said. “What they are learning is a life skill and a potential way to earn a living.”
Howard has been teaching for more than 20 years in career and technical education, health science and, family and consumer science, what used to be called Home Economics, and is now in the culinary program. She is a certified teacher and an RN and has operated her own cottage industry business, making and decorating cakes at home.
She has completed the Escoffier Institute for Educators, a continuing education program made up of a series of modules concerning culinary arts. This is the first year teaching Culinary Arts 3, so she is now working with students she has taught throughout the program, some of whom will graduate in the spring.
“I really enjoy working with young people,” Howard said. “I would like to see this program develop and grow and hope to attract more students through the years.”
When not working with her students, Howard said she enjoys cooking, spending time with her grandchildren, two plus one on the way, working in the yard, and spending time at home. She said she looks forward to working with more young people in the program.
On the day of the interview for this story, Howard’s third-year class was preparing a special thank-you breakfast for the custodial staff at the high school. Served at a set table were breakfast casserole, orange muffins and sweet tea.
