News & Events

Kids at Work! Students Graduate

May 2, 2012

Laughter and sweet aromas filled the halls of the Sherrill Center last week when the Kids at Work! program recognized their graduating students.  What has been taking place since January in UNC Asheville’s Teaching Kitchen, was honored with a celebratory meal prepared and served by the graduates.  In attendance were the families of the students as well as UNC Asheville faculty and the staff of the N.C. Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW).

In January 2012, the program partnered with UNC Asheville and the NCCHW and became the first group to use the Teaching Kitchen in the Wilma M. Sherrill Center.  One of the Teaching Kitchen’s goals is to engage UNC Asheville students, other campus community members and area adults and children in opportunities to learn about, cook, taste and share health-supporting, sustainably-produced food . Kids at Work! is a no cost program designed to empower at-risk teens aged 12-17 through the culinary arts.  Their professional staff models and teaches social skills, self-responsibility, respect, and hands-on academic concepts through cooking.  The partnership became the perfect match.

“Through Kids at Work!’s energy and everyone’s hard work we have made a dream of mine a reality. That dream was to have a place where people could learn to put the principles of healthy into action. A state-of-the art teaching kitchen for UNC Asheville students, staff and faculty as well as the greater community to share in the joy of learning to prepare and sharing healthful foods,” Dr. Amy Lanou said of the collaboration.

Each student received a certificate and an official chef’s jacket for the completion of the program.  Corey Costanzo, program director for Kids at Work! said of the event, "The kids worked hard to showcase their skills to their parents and the community.  There was a magical quality in the room and their faces lit up as they accepted their graduation certificates.  I imagine that it solidified a new level of self-respect through their accomplishment.”

Dr. Lanou was also honored at the event for her continued work with the Kids at Work! and for her part in the creation of the Teaching Kitchen. WLOS named Lanou as their Person of Week and the story can be found by visiting WLOS Online.  

After taking a brief hiatus during the summer, Kids at Work! will be back in the kitchen this fall creating more healthy and delicious dishes.

For more information on the Teaching Kitchen please visit http://ncchw.unca.edu/teaching-kitchen or follow Kids at Work! on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kids-At-Work-Culinary-Arts-Program/372547736127088.