Thanksgiving food prep more than a meal for Gateway's family/consumer sciences students

The family and consumer sciences program at Gateway High School was busy the week leading up to Thanksgiving — just not with their usual cooking classes.

Teacher Jamee Kovacs and her students were tasked with preparing Thanksgiving dinners for 15 area families, for a total of 50 dinners.

“This is our first year doing this project,” said Kovacs, who teaches six food classes each day.

In the past, the district purchased meals for families in need from a local restaurant and caterer. This year, school board Vice President Valerie Warning reached out to Kovacs to see whether her students could help out for the holiday season.

“I thought it would be a great opportunity for my students to give back to our community,” Kovacs said. “Projects like this help our students understand that cooking isn’t just a skill — it’s a way to care for people. They know these meals are going to families in our own district, and that connection makes the work meaningful.”

It’s empowering for the students to see how their hard work in the kitchen has a direct impact on someone else’s Thanksgiving, she added.

Before starting, Kovacs went over the recipes and food schedule with the students.

The students prepared turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, stuffing and corn muffins, which will be delivered to the families by school counselors. Students are in charge of the entire process — sourcing ingredients, cooking, assembly and preparing packages for distribution.

“The FACS program has traded routine classroom lessons for large-scale philanthropy this holiday season,” said Jennifer Hoffner, principal of University Park Elementary School.

Hoffner is no stranger to helping the community with food insecurity as she and Warning play a central role in the district’s monthly food distribution as well as the weekly backpack program, which provides students with food to take home over the weekend.

“This initiative goes beyond standard curriculum, providing students with critical experience in cooking, food safety, inventory management and high-volume meal preparation,” Hoffner said.

On Nov. 24, Kovacs’ seventh period class baked corn muffins and peeled potatoes. The students expressed how it felt to help their neighbors and to go above and beyond the typical curriculum.

“It’s a good way to help our community and to help people that are less fortunate,” freshman Marlee Davis said. “I wasn’t expecting to do this, but it feels great.”

Sophomore Jamee Cheeks said she always enjoyed giving back at church or in elementary school when she was younger.

“I was always the one bringing in cans to donate,” she said. “This whole process makes me feel really good.”

“It’s a wonderful opportunity,” said junior Derek Allensworth, who also is involved in the service groups InterAct and Youth Alive. “You never know when you might be the one who needs help.”

Neither Kovacs nor the FACS students know who will be receiving meals.

“It’s a pretty cool concept to think about the fact that some of my students could actually be taking part in preparing Thanksgiving meals for their own family,” Kovacs said.

Hoffner stressed the incredible job that Warning, Kovacs and the students were doing for the Gateway community.

“The students are learning invaluable skills like empathy, teamwork and the importance of active community support,” Hoffner said. “Mrs. Kovacs is connecting real-world experiences.”

This initiative highlights the importance that family and consumer sciences serves by teaching students life skills — along with instilling responsibility, kindness and compassion.

“Hopefully, this project helps all of my students realize that even small acts of service can add up to something big,” Kovacs said. “Food brings people together, and they have the power to make someone’s holiday brighter.”