Noodles, rice and chicken from their appetizing meal.
Glenn Beuchlien set up a new way to let students and staff associate and get to know one another a little more. For the first time this year, using a randomizer, three students from each grade level, along with four of the staff, were selected. Kyla Beier, culinary and child development teacher, had her third period culinary class make all the food for the bunch. The food included fried rice, egg rolls, noodles, chicken, and fruit pastries. This program to get the campus closer in subjects other than school was hosted by Beier in room 513 Thursday. Brian Wilson, Joe Shelton, Dr. Traci Lori, Zoe Biggs, Kayla Fuhs, Gabby Eck, Lexi Korn, Luke Hopf, Judy Hubster, Katie Wininger, Deb Schum, Tisha Peraza, Cole Taber, Jade Gress, and Grant Sanders all were chosen and sat around a table. It started off with stating names and some facts about themselves. The group shared lots of humorous and personal stories. They also talked about future plans, as well as plans staff had made back then. The staff politely let the students go first when getting their buffet of food. Everyone’s nervous giggles changed into heartfelt connections.After everyone had their fill, the chatting kept on going across the table. The conversations went on about Netflix TV shows that everyone suggested, recent movies that they have watched with their ratings on it, popular issues on the news, current sports and their favorite team’s scores along with the best players. Shelton got a ton of recommendations, he even admitted that he binge watches on Netflix shows all the time. There was times where people grouped off and talked only to people around them and then they would all join back together as one conversation that everyone was in. The circle ended their meal with fortune cookies, and shortly after they got sweet mints.
Wilson asked the students if there were any suggestions to make the meet up better. He suggested himself that next time they should use name tags, not only on shirts, but to put people in a certain order, rather than choosing who to sit by. Shelton commented on the way people sat closer to their peers, rather than the staff. “You guys migrated to your comfort zone”, he joked to Lexi, Tisha, and Jade. Tisha and Jade admitted they sat next to each other only because they were friends with each other out of the group.
Everyone agreed that this eventful meal was exciting. They all learned something from one another after this experience. “It wasn’t as terrible as I thought it was going to be, just a bit awkward at first.” Katie confessed.
