Dolores third-graders got into the restaurant business this week, fixing and serving freshly prepared meals from the school garden to hungry crowds.
The Bear Café sprang to life at the Dolores River Campground lodge, with students bustling to chop, cook, serve, clean and ring up tickets for breakfast and lunch.
“They have been learning the economics of the business for weeks, and today get to experience the hard work, skills, and team effort it takes to run a café,” said teacher Meg Neeley.
The exercise is in cooperation with the Montezuma School to Farm Project, which manages student-run gardens for instruction and school meals.
Proceeds from the Bear Café go back to the garden program. After serving up lunch Monday and breakfast Tuesday, the students had raised more than $1,000, said Zoë Nelsen, director of the School to Farm Project.
Students prepared the menu based on this year’s harvest. For Tuesday’s breakfast, an egg, leek and broccoli casserole was the main dish. Baked apples, yogurt, and dried apples were served on the side.
“They learned to utilize what they have,” Nelsen said. “Working at the garden, they have a better appreciation of where food comes from and how to prepare it.”
Studies show that when kids are exposed to healthy eating options, they are more likely to choose those items in the cafeteria, and later in life.
“We do a lot of taste tests with kids in the garden. They find out what they like, and that familiarity leads to better nutrition,” she said.
Student Novay Siglin said she appreciated the work it takes to run a restaurant.
“We learned how to help each other and work as a team,” she said. “The best part is we made the food ourselves, and it was fresh from our garden instead of from the store.”
“We raised money for the garden so we can grow more food and continue the restaurant,” added Mikayla Stepp, age 8.
The students worked two-hour shifts, and kept up the pace, Neeley said.
“They were surprised to learn they had to work all the way through without a break,” she said. “A lesson for the real world!”
jmimiaga@the-journal.com