“In some cases, the truck design needed to be
altered to accommodate the motor placement,”
Frantz says. “Students realized their measurements
needed to be exact, or they’d have lopsided trucks or
wheels that wouldn’t fit.”
From there, the pairs decided on a food to serve from
their trucks. Using classroom iPads, they researched
ingredients to calculate the cost of serving 100 customers,
as well as their expected profit.
Though the food was imagined, the results of the project
were very real. The groups used the school’s open house,
Christmas play, and social media accounts to engage
potential sponsors for each of their trucks.
The final donations totaled $1,000. Proceeds went to the
Carson Wentz A01 Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to
“demonstrating the love of God and infusing His hope by
feeding all people and uplifting communities.” One of the
foundation’s key outreaches is Thy Kingdom Crumb, an
initiative that distributes free meals around Philadelphia
— via food truck.
The students presented their check to an A01
representative in March at a school-wide assembly.
Spectators watched a prerecorded video of the food
trucks racing in the parking lot, cheering as teams were
presented awards.
Fries, Stripes, and Water Ice:
Meet the Winners
Fastest Food Truck: Michael and Ben’s
compact Water Ice Truck
Best Design & Construction: Julia and
Grace’s ‘50s-inspired Fry Guys truck
Best Business Plan: Robert and Justin’s
Sixers’ Steaks cheesesteak truck
Best Overall: Katherine and Lola’s pink-
striped Cupcakes-A-Go-Go truck
Frantz says while she was impressed by the students’
focus and fundraising, what stood out most were the
personal touches.
“Each team added its own preferences and interests to
their truck,” she said. “Some chose foods that were part
of their heritage. We had a Filipino food truck, Mexican
food truck, donut truck, cappuccino truck, and a burger
and shake truck with a fun ‘50s pattern. Each one was a
unique reflection of its designers.”
9