Beyond the Kitchen: Middle School Community Service Project Builds Connections

“Life is Delicious” when giving back to those in need. The Middle School community continues to promote stewardship and build connections as seventh- and eighth-grade students commenced the first installment of the annual community service project.

The Life is Delicious program provides patrons at the Columbus House Shelter in New Haven with a hot, homemade meal and conversations. It has been a staple in the Middle School since its inception in the 2011-2012 school year, and the school has prepared and served about 3,000 meals since that time.

Under the guidance of past parent and program volunteer Christine Fontana, the participating students gathered together in the Dining Hall to begin preparation of the meal, which was lasagna, chopped green salad, fruit salad, and chocolate cupcakes for dessert. Faculty members including math teachers Jared Katz and John Scaife, English teacher Olivia Hamaoui, music teacher Sarah Reed, and language teacher Marie Buenger worked alongside the students.

Donning fresh gloves and hats, the students were ready to get to work at their designated station. With Mrs. Fontana, the group of students seamlessly worked together layering the trays with fresh lasagna sheets, mear, ricotta cheese, and sauce. Both Mr. Katz and Ms. Reed helped the students chop the fruit including pineapple, cantaloupe, and honey dew melon. Mr. Scaife and Mrs. Buenger helped the students with the green salad.

After the meal was cooked and ready to go, a select group of students with Director of Middle School Brian Christman proceeded to the shelter to deliver the meal to the patrons. The students included eighth-graders Ahmed Abdulkarim, Andrew Aldo, Bryant Krueger; and seventh-graders Linnea Carlson, Gabi Pereira, Loretta Newcomb, and Benjamin Paquin.

“We had a great first cooking session,” said Mr. Christman. “Thank you to all the faculty members who offered to lend some extra hands to help the cooking go more smoothly.”

The Middle School community via advisor groups, will prepare and deliver the meal on the next scheduled dates of Friday, January 31, and Friday, February 28, with a March date to be announced later.