CTE student selected as Breaking Traditions Award winner

Heather Baker, a Culinary Arts student at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, is one of 22 high school

students from across the state to receive the 2015 Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Breaking Traditions Award for surpassing obstacles and stereotypes to achieve success in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs.

According to State Superintendent Mike Flanagan, "The Breaking Traditions Awards recognize high school and college students who have demonstrated success in CTE programs that are nontraditional to their gender. At a time when there is a call from various stakeholders for building a more-responsive, market-driven schools-to-jobs pipeline, it is important to recognize the efforts of these students and the programs that helped them."

Baker, also a senior at Gladwin High School, was nominated for the recognition by Culinary Arts Instructor Heidi Rocha. “Heather consistently goes above and beyond in everything that she does. Her ability to enter the workforce is outstanding.”

Baker accepted the award at a ceremony at the Library of Michigan in Lansing this month.

"These outstanding students are preparing themselves to enter a career that will benefit them individually and benefit Michigan by increasing diversity in our state's workforce." Flanagan said. "By their determination and dedication to pursuing careers in an area nontraditional for their gender, they are role models for peers who may be considering such a career path."

Baker plans to attend Northwood University to earn a degree in business while continuing her apprenticeship with Chef Fred Garcia of the Lost Arrow Resort. Once she obtains a business degree, Baker would like to further her skills at a culinary arts college, such as the Culinary Institute of America, and eventually own a restaurant.

Culinary Arts is a career and technical education (CTE) program offered to high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center. The students spend half of their day at their CTE program and the other half at their local high school.

Culinary Arts students test knowledge at ProStart competition

 Eight local students representing the Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s Culinary Arts class joined 53 teams of their peers from 20 career and technical education centers across Michigan on March 22 and March 23 for the annual Michigan ProStart Competition in Lansing. Hosted by the Michigan Restaurant Association Education Support Foundation (MRA ESF), the students competed in multiple events that tested their knowledge of the ProStart curriculum; a two-year program for high school students that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent into tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice leaders.

The high school juniors and seniors from Clare and Gladwin counties were divided into two teams – one competing in the Management portion of the competition and the other in Nutrition. On the Management team was Beaverton senior Nicole Martin, along with Gladwin seniors Heather Baker, Brandon Bentley, and Cassie Melean.  The Nutrition team included Clare junior Mehna Orr, Harrison senior Noah Cesal, and Harrison juniors Dylan Atwell and Marissa Mathews.

The Management team first competed in the ServSafe “Jeopardy!” style knowledge bowl sponsored by the Van Eerden Foodservice Company. This question-and-answer event tested the participants’ knowledge of critically important issues of food safety and sanitation. Baker, Bentley, Martin, and Melean then took part in the management/entrepreneurship portion of the competition, sponsored by Gordon Food Service. Students demonstrated their knowledge of the industry by developing a restaurant proposal, delivering a verbal presentation, and applying critical thinking skills to challenges that restaurant managers face in day-to-day operations.

During the Nutrition component of the ProStart competition, Atwell, Cesal, Mathews, and Orr created a menu and prepared a three-course meal that met the National Restaurant Association’s Kids’ Live Well and USDA menu criteria.

Ultimately, the Management team placed sixth and the Nutrition team placed second in their respective categories.

“We are so proud of our students,” said Culinary Arts Instructor Heidi Rocha. “They not only worked very hard and performed well, but in many ways demonstrated strong character, maturity, and compassion towards others. We witnessed them connecting with other ProStart students, shaking hands, and even encouraging other teams who didn't perform as well. It was definitely a meaningful experience for everyone.”

Rocha thanked Chef Fred Garcia of Tipsy Bear Bistro in West Branch and Clare County Senior Services Dietician Carol Majewski for mentoring the student teams as they prepared for the competition.

Rocha also expressed appreciation for those who sponsored the teams’ participation in the ProStart Competition:

Athey Precision

Bill & Teresa Jackson

Create It - Beaverton

Cynthia Burns Consulting LLC

Kehoe Realty - Gladwin

Lambert's Meat Market - Gladwin

MacLean's Mercantile - Harrison

Mr. Rooter

National Pipeline Services

Ponderosa Steakhouse - Clare

Culinary Arts is one of nine career and technical education programs offered to local high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD.

RESD Culinary Arts instructor attends Summer Institute

The Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s Culinary Arts instructor Heidi Rocha attended the National Restaurant Association’s week-long Summer Institute last month at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Orlando, Florida. Rocha’s tuition to the program and her travel expenses were funded by a $1,750 scholarship she was awarded earlier this year by the association.

During her trip, Rocha completed Level 3 of the Summer Institutes. Level 3 featured culinary topics in salads, garnishing, baking, and desserts, as well as management topics including marketing and cost control. The class also discussed global cuisines and sustainability.

This is the third time Rocha has received a scholarship to attend the National Restaurant Association’s Summer Institutes. She completed level 1 in Chicago in 2009, and level 2 in California in 2012.

Culinary Arts is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) programs offered to local high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their regular school day in CTE and the other half at their local high school. For more information, please visit www.cgresd.net.

CTE students earn ServSafe Food Safety Certification

Fifteen students from the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Culinary Arts class have earned the ServSafe Food Safety Certification from the National Restaurant Association.

In order to obtain the certification, students must pass an exam administered by the National Restaurant Association, testing their knowledge on topics covering foodborne illness, contamination prevention, and proper food serving techniques.  

In the state of Michigan, every food service operation is required by law to have at least one person on staff with the ServSafe Food Safety Certification.

CTE Culinary Arts Instructor Heidi Rocha is an approved ServSafe Food Safety instructor through the National Restaurant Association. Students in her class can take the test free of charge by participating in fundraising activities. Typically, individuals pursuing ServSafe Food Safety Certification on their own will pay up to $1,000 for both the training and the exam.

Culinary Arts is one of nine Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their regular school day in CTE and the other half at their local high school. For more information, please visit www.cgresd.net. 

Clare-Gladwin Area School classroom learns basic color theory from CTE students

Students from the Clare-Gladwin Career Center’s Culinary Arts and Graphic Arts programs teamed up this month to teach students from the Clare-Gladwin Area School about basic color theory.

The career and technical education (CTE) students used cupcakes, icing, and food coloring to share their lesson with the kids in Rachel DuMond’s Area School class. The local high school juniors and seniors demonstrated how to make different colors by mixing icing and food coloring. After the cupcakes were decorated with the appropriate color, the treats were formed into two color wheels, offering a visual way for the Area School students to learn the basic color theory. 

"Getting to frost cupcakes with the kids was a rewarding experience,” said Graphic Arts student Kaitlyn Corell. “The best part of the whole day was getting to eat the cupcakes with the kids and seeing the joy on their faces.”

Culinary Arts and Graphic Arts are two of nine career and technical education programs offered to local high school juniors and seniors through the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their school day at their CTE class and the other half at their local high school.

Culinary Arts students learn from industry mentors at ProStart Symposium

Four Clare-Gladwin Career Center students learned culinary and restaurant management skills first-hand from industry mentors during the Michigan Restaurant Association’s ProStart Student Symposium, held last month at Sysco, the event’s sponsor, in Canton, Mich.

Joined by their peers from around the state, the CTE Culinary Arts students were split into two groups; culinary and management.

Jaime Phillips of Beaverton and Chelsie Eichorn of Farwell participated in the culinary group. “Jaime and Chelsie worked in groups with industry mentors and created a three course meal using mystery basket items, such as whole salmon, orzo, and mushrooms,” said CTE Culinary Arts Instructor Heidi Rocha.

The management group included Heather Baker of Gladwin and Kelsey Kula of Beaverton. According to Rocha, the management students worked with mentors on a case study and presented their response to the study to the more than 150 people in attendance at the symposium.

“The ProStart Symposium is a very rewarding and worthwhile opportunity for the culinary arts students,” said Rocha. “I am extremely proud of them for their demonstration of critical thinking, dedication to their tasks, and creativity. They were a wonderful representation of the Clare-Gladwin Career Center.”

The Culinary Arts program is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) programs offered to local high school juniors and seniors through the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their school day at their CTE class and the other half at their local high school.

For more information about the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, please visit www.cgresd.net. 

Culinary Arts students welcome local dietitian to share expertise with class

Registered Dietitian Kati Mora shared her expertise and passion for healthy living with the Culinary Arts students at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center last month. Mora spoke about her profession, nutrition, and the variety of job opportunities available to those pursuing the dietetics field.

“Many students were surprised to learn about all of the things a dietitian can do,” said Culinary Arts Instructor Heidi Rocha. “Kati showed them how she has been able to break out independently to achieve a number of goals in her industry,” she said, referring to Mora’s role as a writer for Fitness Magazine, creator of the nationally recognized website www.aroundtheplate.org  and owner of The Plate Boutique in Mount Pleasant.

Culinary Arts is one of nine Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered to local high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their regular school day in CTE and the other half at their local high school. For more information, please visit www.cgresd.net.

Record number of CTE students earn ServSafe Food Safety Certification

Eighteen students from the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Culinary Arts class have earned the ServSafe Food Safety Certification from the National Restaurant Association. This is the highest number of students to earn the certification at one time in the program’s history. 

In order to obtain the certification, students must pass an exam administered by the National Restaurant Association, testing their knowledge on topics covering food borne illness, contamination prevention, and proper food serving techniques.   

“I was very impressed when I received the results,” said Culinary Arts Instructor Heidi Rocha. “Typical passing rate averages around 50 percent because of the exam’s level of difficulty. This year, we had a 75 percent passing rate. I am very proud of all of the students for working so hard.” 

In the state of Michigan, every food service operation is required by law to have at least one person on staff with the ServSafe Food Safety Certification. “Students are very marketable as potential employees when they have this credential,” she said. 

Rocha is an approved ServSafe Food Safety instructor through the National Restaurant Association. Students in her culinary arts/hospitality management class can take the test free of charge by participating in fundraising activities. Typically, individuals pursuing ServSafe Food Safety Certification on their own pay $200-$1000 for both the training and the exam. 

Culinary Arts is one of nine Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs offered at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. Students spend half of their regular school day in CTE and the other half at their local high school.