Rifle Middle School's Family and Consumer Science class is cooking up a storm

The sizzle in the pan was electrifying.

Brendan Larsen drizzled a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and sriracha over a concoction of rice and fresh heating on a single electric burner. The wafting aromas immediately transformed the RMS Family and Consumer Science classroom into your favorite Chinese take-out restaurant.

“I love to cook,” explained the Rifle Middle School eighth-grader as his spoon expertly darts through the rice to keep it from burning and mixing all of the elements into the fried rice it will soon become. I help my dad every day with cooking. We like to cook many different things, like spaghetti and any type of meat, and I love making fried rice.”

The culinary adventure was the last in the third quarter for the students in Laura VanDeusen’s innovative new Consumer and Science class where students dive into the art of cooking. 

The culinary adventure was the last in the third quarter for the students in Laura VanDeusen’s innovative new Consumer and Science class where students dive into the art of cooking. 

It’s a topic that Ms. VanDeusen is passionate about. In addition to being a math and Family and Consumer Science teacher, she is a Food for Life Instructor. She loves making the connections for her students about the benefits of whole foods and nutrition.

“Cooking is a life skill for kids.  I think so many of them these days eat out of boxes and don't know what they can do with real food,” she explained.

In addition to nutrition, Ms. VanDeusen wants kids to begin thinking about all of the things that a basic knowledge of food can help them accomplish.

“I want them to think about the possible jobs they could do, whether it's in college or for a career in teaching. I want them to know how to impress somebody they are dating later in life. I want them to know that cooking good food is not really rocket science. They can do it.”

Students have made popcorn, pretzels, overnight oats, mug cakes, and a variety of smoothies. They also learn things like knife safety, general kitchen safety, and the nutritional value of food.
The new class is a hit with the Rifle Middle School Cubs.

“I wanted to take cooking because cooking is my passion, and I really love doing it. I like seeing people like the food I create,” said Brendan. 

Chassi Naugle, also an RMS eighth grader,  has seen a difference in her food choices since taking the class. 

“I feel like I've been eating more fruit since I've had the class,” she explained. 

Rifle Middle School Principal Jenny Nipper sees the Family and Consumer Science as a great addition to her school.

“Cooking is a lifetime skill. Many of the comments from the strategic planning process were about ensuring that our students have basic life skills. This is just one. The big thing is learning about nutrition. There are kids who will never learn about nutrition if they don't have to. You can have a cooking class, but Ms. VanDeusen is teaching them about the stuff of food, so I think that's amazing. And they're washing dishes, and they're using knives. The kids are making cooking magic and learning real-life stuff.“