Anita Alef, Culinary Arts Instructor and New Albany School of Career & Technical Education visited the Boys & Girls Club of New Albany on September 14-15 and provided an after-school mini camp.  On Day 1, students learned the components of a healthy menu and about portion sizes.  The students used different serving and measuring equipment to visualize what an actual serving size should be.  Nutritional labels were read to see how many portions a family should get from a can of green beans as well as other items. Students also learned how marketing and advertisements persuade us to consume more than we need.
On Day 2, students were given an opportunity to express themselves by preparing food art.  The students used different food garnishing tools to complete their art.  Items made were jack-o-lanterns using tangerines; flowers from strawberries and tangerine while using bell peppers as the stem; palm trees with bananas, kiwis, and grapes; and, a turkey made from pears, grapes, and blueberries.
This mini-camp series was provided as part of the Career & Technical Education Non-Traditional Participation Grant Project.  The goal of this grant is to provde students enriched and rigorous early exposure to non-traditional related experiences.