Must Eat in Class:
Benson High School’s Culinary Program
by Nautica Lloyd, photos by Rhylee Richardson and Perryonna Thomas
B
enson High School’s Food Program offers a wide variety of
courses for their high school students; Foods and Nutrition,
Culinary Skills and Entertaining with Foods are all on
the curriculum.
Benson’s Food and Nutrition program provides students with the
basic skills of cooking. This course involves the study of cultural
and social aspects of nutrition and food. Students are given an
introduction to nutrition and safe food preparation for the home.
Students also prepare foods associated with every section of My
Plate, which is the USDA’s model for illustrating the five food
groups that are the building blocks for a healthy diet.
The Culinary Skills class uses the ServSafe curriculum to practice
the proper handling of food in the restaurant and hospitality
industry. In Culinary Skills, students adhere to the standards set by
the National Restaurant Association Pro Start Curriculum.
“You get more freedom, you get to
make what you want,” said senior
Johnathan Blatch.
Benson’s Entertaining with Foods class just happens to be one of
Benson’s most popular food courses. This course lets students cater
functions all while learning. This course gives students the freedom
to cook what they please. Students spend their time preparing
specialty desserts, meats and sauces as well as both regional and
ethnic cuisines.
“It’s a very creative, cooking class to take,” said senior
Breanna Willis.
Benson has a very hands-on food program and students learn
many skills that will help them in the future. While the students
are in Benson’s Food Program, they are being taught recipe reading
skills, etiquette, customer service, time management and much
more. All while guaranteed to have fun too.
The culinary program is headed by Mrs. Ronda Bruggeman.
Bruggeman attended Battle Creek High School in Battle Creek,
NE where she graduated in 1994. After high school, Bruggeman
10
Ronda Bruggeman
traveled to Wayne, NE to attend Wayne State College. In 1999, she
graduated with a Bachelor’s in Family and Consumer Science with a
minor in Sociology.
During her time in school, Bruggeman taught different summer
camps at Metro Community College. In April of 1999 to August of
2001 Bruggeman was a Camp for Kids Instructor. She was a Family
and Consumer Science teacher at Bellevue East High School and
Life Management teacher at Wilson Jr. High in Council Bluffs, IA.
Bruggeman graduated again in 2006 from Peru State College, with
a Masters in Curriculum Instruction with an Emphasis
in Technology.
“I think it’s an excellent opportunity
for students to show their culinary
skills,” said Principal Mrs. Anita
Baldwin.
In April of 2003, Bruggeman came to Benson High as Family
and Consumer Science teacher and Culinary Arts Instructor. She
has been trained at some of the best culinary schools such as CAFE
Leadership at Johnson & Wales University and CAFE International
Breads at The Florida Culinary Institute.