Past projects 28
Cowless Milk
Funded Jan 15, 2023Today was such a fun day in my culinary classes. After a few lessons about dairy cows, farms, milk as a commodity, etc. students were challenged to make "cowless" milk. They prepared homemade oat milk. The oats were soaked overnight in water, then pulverized in blenders. Flavorful ingredients like vanilla, salt, and maple syrup were added, and the blended results were poured into the beautiful glass bottles you provided.
The bottles will chill overnight and students will get to taste the results tomorrow. I think they are going to be pleasantly surprised. Moreover, enjoying a non-animal milk
is an earth-friendly option. I really appreciate your generous contribution. We will be able to use the bottles for many other purposes. Thank you.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sands
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and 3 other donors.Money Can't Buy Happiness, But It Can Buy Chocolate!
Funded Nov 29, 2022What a fun time the LMAAC culinary students had making shortcut peppermint bark. Thanks to your generous gift, they were able to melt loads of chocolate wafers, drop in some peppermint oil into the chocolate for added flavor, and then drizzle the melted chocolate onto Oreo cookies. To melt the wafers, they learned about the proper use of the Bain Marie which prevents the delicate chocolate from burning. The cookies were then garnished with peppermint crumbles. It was truly a feast and the students ate every single cookie. Some even asked if they could scoop out the leftover melted chocolate from the pot. In other words, not a drop was wasted. On behalf of the students, I want to express my gratitude for your generosity and making this fun lesson possible. Happy holidays!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sands
This classroom project was brought to life by an Anonymous Classroom Supporter and one other donor.Barbecue Bliss
Funded Aug 9, 2022Today we started barbecuing for the first time. The students made kebabs and hotdogs and they LOVED every bite. It was wonderful seeing so many teenagers chowing down on vegetables. This activity gave us an opportunity to talk about how to cut vegetables, how caramelization can actually sweeten vegetables, and the benefit of adding a glaze to kebabs to enhance flavor. The wonderful smell of the barbecue caught the attention of curious people from all over campus to see what we were making. It was so much fun to barbecue, and there are so many things we can do with our new grill. Thank you so much for making this possible.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sands
This classroom project was brought to life by Bill Gates and one other donor.Fond of Fondant
Funded May 3, 2022Today was the day I broke out the fondant, and the students went to town stretching it, rolling it, shaping it, and turning it into little 3D figures. Some were able to successfully cover their cake with the fondant. They absolutely loved it. The nice thing about fondant is that it can be wrapped up tightly and reused. We will continue working with it to make new creations like flowers, hearts, stars, etc.
Thank you for supporting us so many times throughout the year. You have made it possible for us to elevate the culinary classroom experience. Your gift is so appreciated.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sands
This classroom project was brought to life by SONIC Drive-In and 7 other donors.Fix the Mix
Funded Mar 6, 2022Imagine a classroom of students trying to bake cake pops, but only having two hand mixers to get the job done. One of those hand mixers had a broken opening, so that only one beater would work. The students were running into challenges trying to get ingredients rapidly mixed. It was such a relief for them to have access to brand new powerful mixers to use. They loved the shiny "mirrored" baking pans...especially being able to check out their reflections in the pans. It was also nice to have fresh new towels to use. YOU MADE ALL OF THIS POSSIBLE!! Thank you so much. Your support makes a big difference. We appreciate your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sands
Chocolate Champions
Funded Nov 29, 2021My students were captivated by the chocolate they used today in culinary class. All day long, the fragrance of melting chocolate lingered in the air, and they LOVED it. I reminded them that scientists have conducted research that demonstrates just the act of smelling chocolate increases theta waves in the brain which results in relaxation. The students made delicious chocolate fudge. It is now solidifying in the refrigerators. They are very excited to eat it tomorrow.
Thank you so very much for supplying us with the ingredients and equipment we needed to complete our unit on chocolate. It made Valentines' Day week extra special. In addition to baking with chocolate, students learned about the origins of chocolate, the harvesting and processing of chocolate, the uses for chocolate, and the health benefits of dark chocolate. It was a joyous day today thanks to your generosity.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sands
This classroom project was brought to life by Young Sheldon on CBS and one other donor.Batter Up
Funded Dec 13, 2021I opened the box as the students were making pancake batter. When I held up the batter droppers, I heard things like, "Cool" and "Can we use one?" and "Way better!" They loved them! We can also use these batter droppers for cookie making.
As a culinary teacher who is used to batter spilling everywhere, these batter droppers kept the cooking area clean and enabled the students to make perfectly round pancakes. Also, you can see that the food dyes enabled students to make wacky pancakes in colors like pink, blue, and green. They had a great time.
Thank you so much for gifting us with the tools we need to be successful.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sands
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and 3 other donors.Rainbow Air
Funded Sep 20, 2021It is cookie season and the students finally got to try out the new airbrush machines. They LOVE using them. These machines help students incorporate the "art" in culinary arts. The first attempts of painting were a bit amateur because the students get so excited that they spray everything using full pressure. In time, though, they will refine their skills and create masterpieces. I am so happy when my students are happy, and tools like these inspire them to get creative. I can always tell something is a winner when I hear a chorus of, "Let me try" requests, and that is exactly what happened when I showed them how the airbrush machines work. Thank you so much for these wonderful machines.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sands
This classroom project was brought to life by San Diego Gas & Electric and 5 other donors.Drop, Chop and Dole
Funded Nov 17, 2021The students had such a blast today using their new food processors to make latkes. They thought it was so much fun to drop the potatoes in and watch them get shredded to bits. They argued over who got to be the one to pulse the food. It was hilarious. This was only the first adventure we have had using the new machines. There are so many things we can make using them. I appreciate how much time they save, too. Grating all of those potatoes by hand would have taken so much more time. Thank you so much for donating funds for the purchase of the food processors. The culinary students and I love them!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sands
Keep on Rolling
Funded Sep 16, 2020My classes have had the privilege of using the new baking sheets to make banana nut muffins and lavender cupcakes. The baking sheets are high quality that helped us achieve excellent results. Students have also been using the new tubs to hold paper towels and cleaning supplies, and are responsible for cleaning the prep tables at the end of class on the days we cook. They love having the right tools in place to get the job done. Thank you so much for making this possible. The students and I are very grateful for your support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Sands
This classroom project was brought to life by The DonorsChoose 20th Anniversary Fund and 8 other donors.