THUNDER BAY – Tristan Hardy is definitely a fan of hands-on learning – especially the kind that can help him crush a hankering for a tasty snack.
The 15-year-old on Friday took part in Roots to Harvest’s cooking demonstration at Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute, learning how to make a pizza from scratch and cook it over an outdoor over that allowed students to properly social distance.
Hardy said he’ll definitely be able to put some of the skills he learned to good use, adding he much prefers to learn in person than virtually, as students across the province have been forced to adapt to in the COVID-19 era.
“It’s very hard to learn something when nobody is there to tell you you’re doing it wrong until you submit it and oops, I’m failing the class,” he said.
Making a pizza is a new experience, one he plans to use at home.
“I’ve never made a pizza before,” he said, adding he loved stretching out the dough and adding the toppings. "There’s definitely a sense of accomplishment when you finish cooking something in this class. It feels nice to cook something,” Hardy said.
Airin Stephens, program co-ordinator for Roots to Harvest, said they’ve been forced to do things a little differently this school year.
In the past they’d visit classrooms, but with COVID restrictions in place, their best option in 2020 was to bring things outside.
It’s fun and engaging and teaches students a skill they can use – and one many students don’t have by the time they graduate.
“With the move to blocked learning, kids need hands-on learning. They’re wanting to get out and do things. So what we’re seeing is an increase in teachers who are bringing their kids outdoors to be engaged, get a bit of physicality in, but also see that we can cook in all environments,” Stephens said.
Each of the three public board high schools in the program, as well as IR Churchill Lac des Milles, has different needs, so they tailor the program to meet those needs. The kitchen is also rolled out weekly to Gull Bay First Nation to cook for 10 elementary school-aged children in that community.
“In the science classrooms we do seed saving outside and we work in the gardens, getting ready for the winter and planting garlic. Then in the foods classes we work in, we’re animating their food for them,” Stephens said.
The feedback has been great.
“The kids love it. They love being outside. They love using the hand-cranked blender. They love making pizza in the oven,” she said. “Coming off of COVID, they spent so much time indoors at home and even in school.”
Other items on the menu in the mobile kitchen include pancakes, apple sauce, hot apple cider, baked squash and fry bread.
