Be.Cuisine students launch "Pizza Thursdays" at the District Office A cohort of students from Be.Tech’s Culinary
Manteca Unified currently receives $185,000
program have stoked the flames of success!
in Perkins Grant funding each year. The pizza
To help meet the requirements of their Career
oven was approved for purchase during a bi-
Technical Education (CTE) program, this
annual CTE Stakeholder meeting in early
cohort is on their way to achieving Grade
2020, during which stakeholders must vote
Level Standards thanks to the recent
on purchases over $5,000.
purchase of a mobile woodfire oven. After the mobile oven was delivered to The purchase of the woodfire pizza oven,
Be.Tech, Daniel Correa of “Fired Pizza,” a local
spearheaded by Career Technical Education
food truck operating out of Stockton, visited a
& STEM Director Kathy Ruble, was paid for
cohort from the Be.Cuisine program to mentor
using Perkins Grant funding. According to Ms.
them on the ins and outs of woodfired ovens,
Ruble, the Perkins Grant is “a federal CTE
such as how to start the fire correctly and how
grant, funneled through the state, that is used
to maintain a desired temperature. Once the
to purchase industry-standard equipment for
“pizza crew cohort” were comfortable with the
Career Technical Education programs,
equipment, they began catering small MUSD
ensuring students are trained to use
events including meetings for Manteca Adult
equipment they will encounter in the
School.
workforce.”
On May 6, the crew held their first “Pizza Thursdays” event at the Manteca Unified District Office where district staff were invited to preorder pizza to be picked up during their lunch period. With the success of their first major event, the cohort will now host “Pizza Thursdays” each week at the District Office to help hone their skills, marking a major step for the students who are training to meet the CTE pathway requirements.
“We’re always working towards entrepreneurship” stated Be.Cuisine teacher Andrew Griggs, which is why the pizza crew will soon be selling their savory creations at local farmer’s markets. When reflecting on the success of the Be.Cuisine program, the proof is in the pudding. According to Mr. Griggs, both current and former Be.Tech culinary students are employed in restaurants throughout Manteca and San Joaquin County, including local favorite Chit Chat Café. There’s no sweeter treat than seeing Be.Cuisine students meet their CTE standards and take their skills into the workforce!
