New TCS class has students grow, cook, eat, and connect

Students at The Community School are learning basic gardening and cooking skills, along with the confidence to put them into practice.

“I designed my ‘Grow.Cook.Eat.’ class at the beginning of last school year when we were teaching virtually,” said teacher Ryan Campanella. “I want students to come away with the feeling that they can cook for themselves or their family, stay on budget, and create nutritious and delicious meals." 

Students make personal goals in the beginning of the quarter and work toward achieving them. Campanella has them use familiar, budget-friendly ingredients such as beans, pasta, and vegetables to make scratch dishes.

"I also try to show students how they can grow their own food," he said. "We used some of the vegetables from the garden in our recipes this quarter.”

In keeping with the school’s name, the class connects with their community as well. Wanderlust Delicato owner Amber Park recently invited the class to plan, prepare, and cook a meal in her downtown charcuterie shop. Next quarter, Legacy Learners community education director Latesha Wood will be working with students on composting all lunch waste the school produces using the Bokashi composting method.

“I think the students really like being in a professional space, working in small groups and sharing their knowledge,” Campanella said. “The class has been a lot of fun and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.”