From left, Eaton-Johnson Middle School ambassadors Annabelle Webb, Amber Cousin, Chattia Evans, VGCC Culinary Arts instructor Chef Bill Harrison, and ambassadors Malik Williams, Jennifer Seward and William Jones. (VGCC Photo)
Eighth-grade students in the ambassador program at Eaton-Johnson Middle School in Henderson and their parents recently enjoyed a visit to the Vance-Granville Community College Culinary Arts department, which is located at the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford.
Ambassadors are outstanding EJMS students who welcome visitors and dignitaries at special events and complete community service projects. They are selected based on their good character and behavior. The ambassador program advisor is Dr. Priscilla Chavis-Lockley, lead counselor and College/Career Counseling Coordinator at EJMS. A VGCC alumna, Chavis-Lockley created the ambassador program for her students several years ago based on inspiration from a similar program for VGCC students.
Chef Bill Harrison (left) and VGCC Culinary Arts students address the group of Eaton-Johnson Middle School students and their parents. (VGCC Photo)
On March 9, the middle school students’ visit began with a kitchen tour conducted by one of the VGCC Culinary instructors, Chef Bill Harrison. Then, VGCC students served up a light lunch of chicken salad sandwiches, homemade chips and cookies, which were based on a student’s grandmother’s recipe. Harrison and the VGCC students talked about what it is like to work in the food service/hospitality industry. “Being a chef is not just about cooking,” VGCC student James Alston of Creedmoor told the middle schoolers. “A chef can also at times be an artist, a scientist and a businessman.” Chef Harrison noted that several of his students are already employed in local restaurants and other institutions. “This is an exciting, evolving field,” Harrison said. “Today, we have the ability to incorporate ingredients from all over the world, while chefs are also using new, sustainable, ‘eco-friendly’ techniques and emphasizing local ingredients.” The EJMS students asked the college students about their goals and why they chose to go into the profession. Some wanted to own their own restaurants, while others dream of being celebrity “TV chefs” and others want to create best-selling products like barbecue sauces. “Reach for the stars” was Chef Harrison’s advice. Dr. Larry Webb, the middle school principal who accompanied the group along with Dr. Chavis-Lockley, thanked the VGCC students for “a wonderful meal and your hospitality” and he encouraged his own students to consider culinary careers, especially as the field will always be “in demand.”
All the middle school students’ lunches were sponsored by contributions from IBM.
For more information on the VGCC Culinary Arts program, call Chef Ross Ragonese at (919) 690-0312.