Dorchester County students putting love, creativity into Valentine’s Day gifts

DORCHESTER COUNTY, Md.- Love is in the air with Valentine’s Day fast approaching, but once you step into the culinary room, at the Dorchester Career and Technology Center, the air is also filled with sweet smells.

“It’s really fun, there’s some people making brownies and stuff,” Isaiah Perez, a student, said.

“So, this year for Valentine’s Day we are making 6 inch cheesecakes, hot cocoa bombs in the shapes of hearts, or we have hot cocoa shots,” Charlene Zinnel, the Chef Instructor, said.

Juniors and seniors are mixing away and baking up some lovely Valentine’s Day treats to sell to the community. Chef Zinnel said getting kids together in this way brings money back into the culinary program, but that’s not all.

“It gives the students hands on experience on how to put together an event or a fundraiser or products cost the products out, produce the product and then sell a quality product to our consumers,” Chef Zinnel said.

And stirring up memories in the kitchen is something students are grateful for.

“It means a lot, its helping me prepare for life after high school,” Myra Peters, a student, said.

“It means a lot to me, to be like in the kitchen and be a part of this because we all are like a family and I feel that and I really do,” Da’Neisha Harris, a student said.

But, these aren’t the only students getting their hands dirty. Just two doors down you can find some planting their love into flower arrangements that will also be sold to the community.

“Being able to make the arrangements is fun, especially because it does go to helping people,” Calisse Bloodsworth, a student, said.

“The students are not only doing the design, but they are doing some product costing and pricing,” Terry Nuwer, the Agriculture Science Teacher, said.

And while things are blossoming into something special in both rooms, the real reward are the skills and life lessons these students will take with them into the working world.

“This is where we need to be because our workforce is struggling so much right now and we have such a shortage of services to call on, so these kids can go out and get a job in a lot of different things,” Nuwer said.

If you’re still looking for a Valentine’s Day gift, there is still time to order flowers from these students.  Just go to the DCTC Greenhouse Facebook page to learn more.