2 minute read
Be.Cuisine students launch "Pizza Thursdays" at the District Office
A cohort of students from Be.Tech’s Culinary program have stoked the flames of success! To help meet the requirements of their Career Technical Education (CTE) program, this cohort is on their way to achieving Grade Level Standards thanks to the recent purchase of a mobile woodfire oven.
Manteca Unified currently receives $185,000 in Perkins Grant funding each year. The pizza oven was approved for purchase during a biannual CTE Stakeholder meeting in early 2020, during which stakeholders must vote on purchases over $5,000.
The purchase of the woodfire pizza oven, spearheaded by Career Technical Education & STEM Director Kathy Ruble, was paid for using Perkins Grant funding. According to Ms. Ruble, the Perkins Grant is “a federal CTE grant, funneled through the state, that is used to purchase industry-standard equipment for Career Technical Education programs, ensuring students are trained to use equipment they will encounter in the workforce. ”
After the mobile oven was delivered to Be.Tech, Daniel Correa of “Fired Pizza, ” a local food truck operating out of Stockton, visited a cohort from the Be.Cuisine program to mentor them on the ins and outs of woodfired ovens, such as how to start the fire correctly and how to maintain a desired temperature. Once the “pizza crew cohort” were comfortable with the equipment, they began catering small MUSD events including meetings for Manteca Adult School.
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 farmers 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!
