MOUNT VERNON — Continuing a tradition that started 15 years ago, students in Candace Crawford’s class at Mount Vernon High School on Tuesday prepared and served an early Thanksgiving feast to school staff and special guests.
Taking time out to speak with the News, student chef Corinna Gallogly said, “We just cooked the meal for the school, to say ‘thank you’ to the teachers and staff at the high school. We cooked turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potatoes and we also made salads. We cooked bacon to put on top of them [the salads.] ... Also we set up tables and chairs and stuff.”
The class prepared four turkeys and two hams for the guests, and, Corinna said, “the hardest thing I had to cook was the onions and celery for the stuffing.”
Crawford said it was a “cry fest” as all the onions were being chopped.
Kelly Buchanan’s main food preparation assignment was frying bacon. She also served as a greeter. “That was kind of fun,” she said.
Although preparing the meal and feeding 100 people is hectic, Crawford said, it is fun. She said the students benefit from the life skills they learn by participating in the project.
“We look at grocery ads and shop for bargains,” Crawford continued. “We talk about how unbrands are less expensive than name brands. Then the students do the shopping themselves.”
Crawford said the meal would not be possible without donations from numerous area businesses and private donors.
