Students at Robert Frost Middle School had the opportunity to help the less fortunate, while learning important core educational concepts during a baking presentation.
 
King Arthur Flour Life Skills Bread Baking Program instructor Gina Ciancia was on hand to show approximately 160 seventh-grade students how to make two loaves of bread – one of which the students could keep and the other to be donated to a local soup kitchen. Math and science theories were incorporated into the baking demonstration. Students Javairia Nadeem and Gulsum Camlira assisted Ciancia throughout the demonstration, from measuring the ingredients and kneading the bread to displaying the final products for other students to see. Ms. Ciancia explained how to make French and braided bread, cinnamon rolls, and pizza dough.
 
“Students learn lessons in science and math,” said Director of Family and Consumer Sciences Celeste Archer of the baking program. “They also get to see how they can give back to the community by providing bread for those in need.”
 
Each of the students took the ingredients home to bake both loaves, bringing one back for donation. This community service endeavor was provided to the school for free, courtesy of King Arthur Flour. The donated loaves of bread will be given to Presbyterian Soup Kitchen and Ascension Lutheran Church in Deer Park.
 
“We feel it is important because students learn all of the academic skills behind it – they learn the math and the science, then they learn the food safety, time management, and the organization,” Ms. Ciancia added. “They also get the community service piece. It really is a holistic kind of approach to education, and they take a lot out of it.”