Northwood High School recently held a dedication ceremony for its new Culinary Arts facility, which serves nearly 180 Northwood students as part of the District’s Career Technical Education Pathways program. The Culinary Arts program is one of several career pathways in the Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation Industry Sector Pathway, giving students real-world experiences and skills that are relevant to any career path. Such programs create an opportunity for students to learn and explore their interests, while earning elective credits toward college and career readiness.
“We are excited about this culinary option for our students,” said Dr. Keith Tuominen, Director of Secondary Education. “It was due to the tenacity of Northwood Principal Leslie Roach, school administrators and community members that this dream became a reality.” In addition to securing District funds, Roach and her team diligently worked to secure state and local grant funding with the support of key community members, such as Venkata Renduchintala and his wife Aruan Renduchintala, who is a teacher at Northwood. IUSD will further expand the program Districtwide by opening a second Culinary Arts facility after the first of the year. The new facility will be located on the Creekside Education Center campus at Harvard and Barranca. When asked why Career Technical Education is beneficial to students, Tuominen said, “It gives students the opportunity to develop a concept and to work through a collaborative planning and design process to deliver a fully realized product. These kind of experiences are invaluable for students in both their academic and professional careers.” The dedication event was attended by Board Clerk Ira Glasky, school administrators, IUSD administrators, students, parents and community supporters. To read the County Register’s coverage of the event and IUSD’s Culinary Arts Program, click the following link http://bit.ly/1M5Np2o.
