Throughout the school year and into the summer months, students enrolled in Vetri Cooking Lab (VCL) show growth in their life skills and confidence. Jayden, a student at Kirkbride School in South Philly, made tremendous strides throughout the ten weeks that he was enrolled in Vetri Cooking Lab (or “Cooking Club” as the kids call it).
Ms. Caselle, an English and Language Arts teacher at Kirkbride, shared some of Jayden’s recent growth from this spring semester of Vetri Cooking Lab.
“Jayden is one of the kindest, sweetest, and friendliest students,” Ms. Caselle said. “But, like lots of kids, he couldn’t quite find his niche.”
When Jayden first started in Vetri Cooking Lab, Ms. Caselle and the VCL educator, Megan, were hesitant to give Jayden a knife after noticing that he sometimes struggled to hold his pencil. “Literally that first week, I held my hand over his as he used the chef’s knife to cut an onion,” Megan said.
But after that first week? Jayden became the first student to volunteer to cut the typically dreaded onions! Megan would always supervise, but by the final week, he cut the onion like a pro! He even offered help to his fellow Cooking Club members. “When I saw his perfectly diced onion, a tear came to my eye. I would say it was the chemical reactions that result from cutting onions, but watching a student master a skill they will use for life is more powerful than even the strongest onion,” Megan said.
But it wasn’t just Jayden’s kitchen skills that thrived. His social skills were also flourishing. “Seeing Jayden interact with other students in Cooking Club was like seeing him in a whole new light,” Ms. Caselle shared. “In the classroom, he is not one to initiate social interactions, but in Cooking Club, he is much more likely to approach his peers. The whole experience gave him so much confidence and independence.”
Jayden’s confidence and independence also increased his willingness to try the new, nutritious foods that he was making in the after-school program. He was enthusiastic about trying new things and encouraged reluctant peers to try the food, too.
When you donate to support Vetri Community Partnership, you’re supporting students like Jayden. Thank you for supporting Jayden’s journey!
