SW Side high schoolers cook for seniors who otherwise wouldn’t get home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner

CHICAGO (WLS) — For these college students at Chicago Excessive College for Agricultural Sciences, their classroom is the kitchen.

Since Monday, they’ve been making ready early Thanksgiving dinners for about 350 senior residents who in any other case wouldn’t get a home-cooked vacation meal.

It is an occasion in its tenth 12 months, again in particular person for the primary time for the reason that COVID-19 pandemic.

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“Throughout this season of giving thanks, we need to carry individuals collectively. So we’re excited to get individuals again within the gymnasium this 12 months,” mentioned nineteenth Ward Ald. Matt O’Shea.

The scholars, largely juniors and seniors, have been onerous at work prepping the meals and getting suggestions from knowledgeable, Chef Diego Burgos.

“They’re doing an ideal job. You possibly can inform they’ve a ardour for it,” Burgos mentioned.

Scholar Anaya Mackey mentioned it’s onerous work, however she enjoys it.

“We’ve to sauté the greens and steam them,” Mackey mentioned. “Brine the turkeys, butter the turkeys, season the turkeys… we’ve got candy potatoes, cranberry sauce.”

It’s a farm-to-table expertise. The college has the one working farm within the metropolis of Chicago, with college students rising all of the components, from corn to pumpkins. They even raised the turkeys!

“We used to see them alive and strolling round and now we’re cooking them. It was form of bizarre doing that, however it’s form of just like the circle of life. It occurs on a regular basis,” mentioned Anika Dooley, a scholar.

The scholars mentioned the massive payoff is watching their visitors take pleasure in what they’ve cooked.

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“I am unable to inform you what number of occasions I hear a senior say, ‘After I was in highschool…’ or ask them questions. The interplay between the seniors and our college students is what I believe it is all about,” Principal William Hook mentioned.

College students additionally set the tables within the gymnasium, adorning them with centerpieces made by horticulture college students that the seniors get to take residence.

However, there is a larger takeaway for everybody: giving thanks for the possibility to get to know new individuals.