AT RISK YOUTH CHALLENGED TO STIR THE POT
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SUNNYVALE, Calif - The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California-Sunnyvale will host "Challenge Team Sunnyvale" throughout the month of March for a series of culinary classes intended to inspire the at risk youth members to stir up food instead of trouble. Four class sessions- Tuesdays, March 10th-31st from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. - will be taught by professional chef instructors at The Art Institute of California-Sunnyvale and assisted by culinary student mentors.
An initiative proposed to keep at-risk youth from engaging in potentially harmful activities, the Challenge Team Sunnyvale - established by the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety - is a community group that offers creative and educational activity options to members in hopes of inciting positive life changes. The partnership with The Art Institute of California-Sunnyvale will bring a group of six youths into the kitchens of the International Culinary School to learn the fundamentals of cooking.
The Challenge Team Sunnyvale culinary project is in conjunction with a 12 week long educational program for the six sets of member parents. The last class session for both groups, March 31st, will serve as a "graduation ceremony" as the novice chefs prepare and cater a meal for their guardians.
It should be noted that since the first quarter of instruction at the new campus of The Art Institute of California-Sunnyvale, the students have played an integral role in developing a unique campus culture representative of the attitudes and standards of behavior respected by the group. Now nearing the completion of the fourth quarter, it is evident that social responsibility, community outreach, and "green" initiatives are the foundations of this culture; philanthropic endeavors that are not only valued by students, but reinforced by faculty and staff members. With that said, it is no surprise that the culinary students are eager to take on roles as mentors to Challenge Team Sunnyvale members.
This project is especially important to the culinary student mentors that found themselves in similar predicaments prior to enrolling in The Art Institute of California-Sunnyvale. Having gone through personal battles with overcoming the lure of gangs and drug life themselves, these individuals will serve as the best role models for the at risk youth through showing the profound positive changes education has had on their lives.
The ultimate objective of the Challenge Team Sunnyvale and The Art Institute of California-Sunnyvale partnership is to emphasize the opportunities presented to individuals who seek out and value education as a fundamental cornerstone of life.