Prince Edward County Public Schools participate in culinary arts project.
The Prince Edward County High School Family, Career and Community Leaders of America(FCCLA) recently completed their Student Body Project for the 2020-2021 school year. Student Body is an FCCLA national peer education program that helps young people learn to eat right, be fit, and make healthy choices. Mr. Donald McClelland, Prince Edward County High School FCCLA Adviser, chose a unit entitled ‘A Fit You’.
Thinking out-of-the-box, Mr. McClelland introduced the students to juggling. He called the project Juggling for Success. “I wanted something different that the kids have not really been exposed to. I wanted the kids to start being active again and also develop their eye-hand coordination which is so important to the work we do in the labs with the Culinary Arts program” said McClelland. Students read books and watched videos about juggling. Students were introduced to: rings, cigar boxes, and ball juggling. At the conclusion of the project, Mr. McClelland noted that a majority of the students improved their physical activity levels and their self-esteem. Mr. McClelland intends to expand on this initiative in the future. “I wasn’t trying to create professional jugglers; I just wanted to get the students up and moving” claimed McClelland.
Mr. McClelland credits the success of this program to those who provided students with constructive feedback. Partners included Ms. Jessica Hentoff of Circus Harmony in St. Louis, MO and the Virginia FCCLA Foundation, who provided funding for the project.
Prince Edward County Public Schools is an inclusive, student-centered community focused on inspiring confident, knowledgeable, and productive citizens who are empowered to lead.