Southern High School
HEALTHY COOKING CLUB
GenesisHOPE and Southeastern High School launched an after school healthy cooking club. Students, eager to learn how to cook, signed up for the initial 6-week series in 2020. Students learned the importance of eating balanced nutritious meals and gained hands-on cooking and kitchen experience. “When I was younger, I would always watch MasterChef and Kid's Baking Champion so joining the cooking club was an easy decision” says Damon Klugh. “While attending The Cooking Club part 1, I learned that it takes time and patience to work with other people. I enjoyed getting to know other people. I cook at home and I eat more vegetables because I make some of the recipes at home.“
Michal Wilson, community and environmental health manager, works directly with students in the school teaching them about life in the kitchen! The Learning Kitchen is an evidence-based curriculum proven to help young people increase their consumption of fruits and vegetables. Students learn about grocery shopping on a budget, preparing nutritious meals, and have an opportunity to create their own delicious and healthy meals!
Students have been excited and motivated to join the club and want more! After completing the first series, students had an opportunity to continue with Teen Battle Chef in 2021. Students worked collaboratively to hone their cooking skills and experiment with new and different recipes such as fresh mussels during Teen Battle Chef.
“As an instructor, I love seeing the students work collectively and creatively. Seeing them adjust a recipe to make something unique is beautiful. Students have the same ingredients to make a recipe and use their creativity to put their own spin on it” explains Micah. Cooking helps students explore different options and allows them opportunities to give each other feedback that is constructive.
Alysia Ward has her ServeSafe license, but wanted to learn more about food. “Being a member of the Cooking Club allowed me to do just that. I liked trying new recipes that I now make at home. I learned kitchen and food safety as well as how to work with others. I did not like working with others at first but now I work very well as a team member in the kitchen” says Alysia.
Throughout both programs’ students have not only grown but have found new ideas for themselves on what they can do! According to Southeastern staff and our instructor, some students have never been allowed to utilize their kitchens at home. “Student’s have come to me and said they’ve never been allowed in the kitchen growing up” Micah shared, “Things like using the stove or oven, handling kitchen appliances and utensils were always more the parent’s responsibility” With students enrolled in The Learning Kitchen and now Teen Battle Chef, students have been able to express themselves with the meals they make and are even impressing their parent’s and family members with what they learned
With the start of 2022-2023 underway, GenesisHOPE and our partners are proud to continue serving communities! GenesisHOPE and Michigan Fitness Foundation are committed to partnering with schools and families across the east side of the city of Detroit to promote healthy living and healthier habits.
Help Improve Food Access for High School Students
A 2 oz. tasting is an allowable expense for direct education under SNAP Education guidelines for our federally funded program. Your donation provides food for the students to prepare and eat a meal together.
