Each semester, the foods and nutrition teacher and FVHS Teacher of the Year, Kelly Elliott, hosts an in-class food truck project, where students design a food truck, menu, and business plan for their truck.
This spring semester, the project took place on Thursday, May 30, during first period.
This food truck project is something that everyone looks forward to all semester long because teachers throughout the school, the mayor, and other town officials have attended this event.
“I would sit here and eat all day long, and try everything on the menu, in a perfect world. You did such a great job creating unique menus and putting your heart and soul into it,” said Fuquay-Varina Mayor Blake Massengill.
At the event, there were several stations “selling” different types of food. This included mini cookies, pastries, homemade pizza and even buffalo chicken wraps.
Each station or food truck was set up around the room, and there was plenty of time to go around and try each thing. While this was a food truck and business project, there was no charge for people who came to enjoy the food.
Each truck had the required three menu items, but each truck made one thing on the menu to serve to customers.
Last semester, students prepared a wide variety of foods to sample. Every semester, students get to be as creative as they want. Last semester, a student was so creative, they made a spaghetti taco food truck.
This semester there were lots of fun things to try such as apple pastries, buffalo chicken wraps, homemade mac and cheese, and many more.
“I have done this project for as long as I can remember, and since the start, it has grown so much. The projects have continuously become more creative, and students are thinking further and further outside the box which I love to see,” said Elliott.
The curriculum for this project requires making a business plan and menu, then actually preparing the food. Eliott has gone above and beyond to make this project fun and interactive for students.
Students start by creating a 3D model of what they want their food truck to look like. The 3D model will consist of a model vehicle, wheels for the vehicle, and a logo that represents the chosen business.
“I hope Ms. Eliott will invite me back. This is one of my favorite things to do, and I would love to come back for this or anything else, especially if I get to eat delicious food,” said Massengill.