By Lindsey Mauller on October 20, 2022
Here in Grafton High, we have many different classes to help you decide what you want to do, and it gives you real world experiences. One of the groups we have is ProStart. ProStart is directed by Mrs. Woods. You may still be asking what it is. It’s a culinary class. Mrs. Woods describes teaching the class as fun or experimental. There are many things you do in the class. Here are some of the things Mrs. Woods said, “Once a month my classes do a Rotary luncheon, and they make a lunch for retired school employees, they have made cookie trays for first responders and Taylor County school employees, they prepare meals monthly for Alpha Delta Kappa, they have made things for a bridal shower, they did a big event for a graduated class, they have made pepperoni rolls for the football team, and they have made food for the cross country team.” As you can tell they are getting a lot of hands-on experience. When asked about it being in the kitchen, Mrs. Woods said, “Bookwork, menu planning, they are learning the kitchen brigade system, practicing knife skills, they are learning how to serve tables correctly, they learn the history of restaurant food service; they are even learning a little bit of culinary math.” It seems like Mrs.Woods keeps them busy alright, but is this a one year class? So, the way her classes work is the first year you plan to take the class you are considered a first year and that class is called foundation You also do not get to do events your first year because you are learning where everything is in the kitchen. The second year class you take breaks apart; you can either be in bake and pastry or culinary. The third and fourth year is a block class, and it is whatever you decided to go into your second year. It is just more advanced. Now you may ask what made Mrs. Woods would want to be the culinary teacher at Grafton high school. When I asked her, here is what she said, “I had traveled between three schools teaching math, and I
wanted one school to be my home, and I had a culinary business and thought about how fun it would be. The job opened up and I applied for it and I got hired." So, if you are thinking about being in the class, you should. It is worth it.
