As it has been for the past few years, the Culinary Arts work program did not meet the requirement of 15 participants to get off the ground. Applications were due yesterday, Jan. 17, and a total of 12 students signed up.

“I would love to get at least one section of it,” Family Consumer Science teacher and sponsor of the Culinary Arts work program Rebecca Just said. “I’ve never taught a work program before. I’m just excited. I want to see how it works.”

Just also says at this point, applications would still be accepted for the near future to get enough students to start the program back up after it being cancelled nearly a decade ago. Along with turning in an application, the student must be enrolled in a Culinary Arts class while in the Culinary Arts work program, and they must also have a job in the food industry. Students can be cooks, servers, cashiers, baggers or other positions offered in a food service.

“I wanted to sign up for it,” senior Aurianah Jones said. “But I couldn’t find a job. A fast food restaurant would’ve even been okay.”

Additionally, Just and Culinary Arts students have the opportunity to  participate in things like Iron Chef each year. Her second hour Culinary Arts class also worked for three days this past week on baking and decorating 200 cupcakes for the D.A.R.E graduates of Henderson Elementary. Just  has also pushed for the past couple of years, since the Culinary Arts work program was reinstated, to get enough participants with no luck.

“I don’t know what else we could do,” Just said. “We’ve been in the announcements for the last week and a half, FACS teachers talked to their classes.”

If a student participated in the work program, along with working in the food industry, they would have to work on average 10 hours a week to earn half of a practical arts credit, but they could also work an average of 20 hours a week to earn one credit of practical arts.

“I was considering it second semester of last year,” senior Jared Agre said. “I have a job in the food industry at the movie theater. But it didn’t really cross my mind this year.”