Cooking Up Career Skills at PVSS

Henry Flores, a grade 12 student at Pleasant Valley Secondary School, interested in pursuing a career in the culinary arts, asked to share his skills and passion with his peers last June. This school year, with the support of the Food's teacher, Elizabeth Woolnough, he selects and portions recipes, creates shopping lists and essentially runs his own mini kitchen. Each week he prepares a schoolwide meal, alternating between grab and go dishes and more intricate fresh dishes that are sold at the school Snack Shack.  

"Henry is a gifted young chef who is always looking for new ways to create flavours and wanted to share his art with his peers. This experience has been a good challenge for him to hone his organization and kitchen management skills which will help him as he continues his career in the culinary world," shared Teacher Elizabeth Woolnough.  

Henry's culinary initiative is a strong example of the Career Development priority outlined in the SD83 Strategic Plan. This priority emphasizes providing students with meaningful opportunities to explore interests, build real-world skills, and prepare for life beyond graduation. Through experiential learning, skill-building, mentorship, and leadership, he is gaining the foundational experiences that will support his transition into the culinary world.