The Foundation received a Bear Grant request this year from Kelley Kerns, Senior Seminars teacher/advisor who wanted to create a cooking class for Seniors so that they could learn how to take care of themselves in the wider world after graduation. Some students would really benefit from this kind of training as they go off to college on their own for the first time. However, even the students staying here to work or go to Columbia College could benefit by learning to cook for themselves and their own families.
This class sounded like a bona fide win-win! The Foundation approved a grant of $986 to purchase equipment and supplies for the classes. One of our Foundation Board Members, Trent Simonson checked in with the local cooking supply store in Twain Harte, The Harte of the Kitchen, and secured a 25% discount for Kelley to go shopping for supplies.The SHS Foundation is a big supporter of the “Shop Local” campaign in our county.
Kelley and the students started cooking, learning to shop for groceries, following simple recipes, and figuring out how to use kitchen equipment right after the Christmas break. Kelley came and reported, in person, to our board about how the classes went, what the students gained from the classes, and her hopes for making the cooking class for Senior Seminars a real elective for all students, not just seniors. Here are some great photos from the first-ever Senior Seminars Cooking Class of 2022!