Jose Berber, Itzel Bucio, Jasalyn Garcia, Naomi Perez, Jerimah Tate and Yesenia Velazquez from Prosser High School won this year’s Healthy Schools Campaign’s Cooking up Change competition with their Arroz con Pollo Tazon, Roasted Corn & Carrot Relish and Pear Crisp menu. They will not only have their meals served next semester at Chicago Public Schools, but they will also receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the national competition in June 2018.
Cooking up Change is an annual cooking competition that challenges high school culinary students from Chicago Public Schools to create healthy, great-tasting meals that meet the real-life requirements of the school meal program and the budget of about $1 per meal. Cooking up Change serves up life-changing opportunities, helps students realize their own potential and puts student voices front and center in the national dialogue about school food.
Healthy Schools Campaign launched Cooking up Change in Chicago in 2007, and it has since grown to include cities across the country. Every year, amazing Chicago student chefs present their meals to local leaders, policymakers and the culinary community at an event that also serves as Healthy Schools Campaign’s annual benefit.
With delicious and nutritious recipes, high school culinary students will battle it out in the kitchen to see who will take home top honors, trophies and culinary scholarships, and of course make their schools proud.
“These students show us the possibilities of redefining school food,” says Rochelle Davis, Healthy Schools Campaign’s President and CEO. “Each and every year, these students amaze us with their creativity, ingenuity and their delicious food!”
The top team will travel to Washington, D.C., next spring to compete against teams from cities across the country and engage with policymakers.
“The trip to D.C. is an opportunity for the students to bring their meals to a bigger stage and share with policymakers their experience of creating healthy and delicious school meals,” says Davis.
We couldn’t put on such a great contest every year without the support of our generous sponsors including: Presenting Sponsor, Aramark; Hero sponsors, Aetna and Sammons Financial Group; Champion sponsors RJB Properties and School Health Corporation; National Gold Supporter, Newman’s Own Foundation; Official Travel Partner, Southwest; Official Culinary Partner, James Beard Foundation; and Silver Sponsor, American Federation of Teachers.
The following students represented their schools with the following meals at the November 16 competition:
Roberto Clemente High School – Student Chefs: Montserrat Aviles, Kevin Cardenas, Shyann Concepcion, Gabriel Ellis, Christian Ramirez and Daya Stanley. Menu: Spicy Chicken Green Wrap, Sautéed Bean & Corn Salad and Spiced Apples; Chicago Vocational Career Academy – Student Chefs: Laquanya Baker, Damayra Mercado, Asia Montgomery, Chrish- auna Thompson and Jaih Williams. Menu: Orange Chicken Fried Rice, Stir Fry Vegetables and Peanut Butter Banana Wrap; Juarez Community High School – Student Chefs: Sophia Garcia, Brisa Gonzalez, Alex Macedo, Abrahm Ortiz, Erika Polzin and Brenda Serrano. Menu: Chicken Parmigiano Americano, Italian Tossed Salad and Apple Crisp; Marshall High School – Student Chefs: Reginald Bridges, Jeremiah Hudson, Tara Lewis, Princess McCullogh and Anya Williams.
Menu: The Ginger Peach Explosion, An Amazing Peach Slaw and Golden Peach Cobbler; North-Grand High School – Student Chefs: Mauricio Arroyo, Enrique Davila, Carlos Farmer, Jerricka Hightie, Elba Rodriguez and Nathaniel Santiago. Menu: Chicken Fried Rice, Asian-Style Braised Cabbage and Polo Surprise. Prosser High School – Student Chefs: Jose Berber, Itzel Bucio, Jasalyn Garcia, Naomi Perez, Jerimah Tate and Yesenia Velazquez. Menu: Arroz con Pollo Tazon, Roasted Corn & Carrot Relish and Pear Crisp; Richards High School – Student Chefs: Naheishia Hitchcock, Raudel Ruiz and Edgar Villegas. Menu: Zesty Chicken & Alfredo, Zucchini Chips and Banana Sorpresa; Roosevelt High School – Student Chefs: Octavio Anacleto, Ashauntae Brown, Raymundo Gaytan, Rachel Smith, Jizel Vazquez and Yamaira Velez. Menu: Chicken Chicken Pollo Pollo, Hot Beans and Cinapple Sploosh; and Simeon High School – Student Chefs: Vanae Berry, Tina Davids, Makayla Miller, Jade Nelson, Airion Richards and Veronica Winfert. Menu: Fiery Pollo Nachos, Fried Cabbage and French Toast Roll.
