Wakulla High School Culinary Operations Program Welcomes New Teacher

culinary ops group shot.gif Wakulla High School welcomes Shirley Bouie as its new Culinary Operations instructor to continue the extremely successful program of Culinary Operations 1, 2, and 3 classes started by teacher Pam Evans.

Ms. Evans decided on a career change this year and is teaching pre-kindergarten, her “first love” after many rewarding years teaching at WHS. She started the “War Eagle Café”, a full service restaurant created by transforming the old WHS cafeteria when the new, larger cafeteria was built. She and her students hosted community luncheons and catered many events.

Ms. Bouie continues the Culinary program with enthusiasm and experience. WHS Principal Mike Crouch felt fortunate to be able to find someone to keep the program in tact, as not everyone would be able to handle the responsibility of a student-run restaurant. “She comes to us with 20 years of experience and a can-do attitude,” stated Mr. Crouch.

Her background includes teaching Food and Beverage Management to some of the U.S. troops in South Korea. She has also worked in Nutrition and Wellness in Maryland, Texas and Georgia, where a Columbus high school dedicated a scholarship in her name when she left.

{sidebar id=1}Recently Superintendent David Miller visited her classroom, as he does all new teachers’ rooms each year. Ms. Bouie shared with him, “I love your students here. They are so respectful. This is an ideal situation with the technology and the space to do this.”

Students have a large work area, complete with a computerized Smartboard and cooking stations for instruction, that converts to a restaurant when they are serving guests. The kitchen is fully equipped with convection ovens, commercial freezers, and cooking essentials. Each year a large portion of the Carl Perkins Rural and Sparsely Populated Career and Technical grant goes to keeping the equipment updated.

Ms. Bouie has many ideas about maintaining the success of the past. She believes any good program involves the community. “I plan to host monthly cooking classes in the evening. Also, students will be working on infomercials about healthy eating. Already we are working on casseroles to sell to teachers who are tired at the end of the week and would love to take something home for dinner ready-made. Baking is a love of mine, and we will be selling cakes, pies and bread for holidays throughout the year.”

"This has been one of our most popular Career and Technical programs,” stated Superintendent Miller. “Students can sign up to take it in 9th grade and if they complete the program of three or more classes, they may qualify for a Bright Futures Vocational Gold Seal Scholarship, which pays for 75% of Florida college tuition. We are fortunate to have Ms. Bouie’s expertise in continuing this opportunity for our students.”

- Beth O'Donnell, Asst. Superintendent for Instruction

This article originally published on September 17, 2008.

Click here to discuss this information in our Online Discussion Forums.

Per Wakulla.com policy, all reader comments (submitted below) must include a valid first and last name.