Wilson Talent Center Culinary Arts Students Attend National Competition
Ten students from the Wilson Talent Center’s (WTC) Culinary Arts & Hospitality program recently traveled to San Diego, California to attend the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) National Leadership Conference hosted by San Diego Mesa College. Students competed in a variety of categories including Baking & Pastries, Culinary Arts, Food Innovations and Sports Nutrition.
As a national career & technical education student organization (CTSO), FCCLA offers students intra-curricular resources and opportunities to pursue careers that support families. Since 1945, FCCLA members have been making a difference in their families, careers and communities by addressing important personal work and societal issues through Family and Consumer Sciences education.
All ten students who participated medaled at the event. They include:
- Emaleigh Keast (Mason), Silver Medalist, Baking & Pastries
- Lilly Meka (Haslett), Silver Medalist, Culinary Arts
- Josephine Jorgensen (Mason), Silver Medalist, Culinary Arts
- Jean Robinson (Lansing Christian), Silver Medalist, Culinary Arts
- Maya Marsh (Okemos), Silver Medalist, Food Innovations
- Amelia Wilson (Mason), Silver Medalist, Food Innovations
- Shawn Hotelling (Fowlerville), Bronze Medalist, Baking & Pastries
- Todd Williams (Stockbridge), Bronze Medalist, Baking & Pastries
- Lirin Bolcavage (Stockbridge), Bronze Medalist, Sports Nutrition
- Lucas Leibrand (Mason), Bronze Medalist, Sports Nutrition
The Culinary Arts & Hospitality program is one of 18 career & technical education (CTE) programs offered at the WTC to high school juniors and seniors. It is designed as an exploratory opportunity to broaden the students understanding of the hospitality industry. Students will learn food sanitation and safety, basic knife skills, earn up to four national certifications, and have the opportunity to discover their entrepreneurial spirit by working with catering and/or food truck operations. In addition, this program offers an early college option through the Capital Region Technical Early College (CRTEC), where students can earn up to 69 college credits at no cost by attending one additional year beyond high school.
“We are incredibly proud of these Culinary Arts students for their performance at the FCCLA National Leadership Conference,” notes Joe Wenzel, principal at the WTC. “The dedication to their craft, along with their creativity and professionalism will certainly serve them well should they choose to continue in this field in the future,” Wenzel also noted.
The Wilson Talent Center, operated by Ingham Intermediate School District, offers career and technical education programs for high school juniors and seniors who reside in Dansville, East Lansing, Haslett, Holt, Leslie, Mason, Okemos, Stockbridge, Waverly, Webberville and Williamston. Applications are also accepted from Lansing School District, Fowlerville Community Schools and Eaton and Clinton County schools. For more information, visit Wilson Talent Center (www.inghamisd.org/wtc).
Wilson Talent Center Culinary Arts & Hospitality students traveled to San Diego, California to participate in FCCLA national competition.
