Lawrence Elementary School’s Early Morning Cooking Club

LAWRENCE, NEW YORK (February 2022) —What’s better than a nutritious, tasty, well-balanced meal? For students in Lawrence Elementary School’s early morning cooking club, absolutely nothing! Cooking Club members, all who have a passion for good food and cooking, arrive early to school – before classes start – to join together with Cooking Club Advisor Cindy Hecht to learn about nutrition, balanced meals, and the art of cooking and preparing meals. Recipes used are age-appropriate, allowing club members to take their skills home and prepare meals for their families.

“Students have a great time learning new recipes. Learning how to cook is a skill that they will use for the rest of their lives,” said Rina Beach, Principal of Lawrence Elementary School. “Cooking involves math, science, and reading. Each time the students cook something, they are using the knowledge that they learned in their classes and bringing it into the kitchen.”
The Early Morning Cooking Club is not just about cooking. Club members learn how to set a table and the social manners associated with dining. What is most fun for the students is when they get to collaborate on the preparation of a meal and then get to enjoy the product of their labor together. Students also learn the value of sharing - there's always enough to share with the school’s nurses, secretaries, and guidance counselors.
“Our cooking club is not just about learning recipes but also learning about well-balanced meals and how nutritional inadequacy can affect our health,” said Ms. Hecht. “We always make enough to be able to share fresh food with our staff and students within the building.”
For more information about the Lawrence Union Free School District and the latest District news please visit www.lawrence.org.