There were snickerdoodles, scones, and plenty of smiles at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at Freedom Plaza yesterday morning when local leaders celebrated the official launch of the Culinary Arts & Management Program.
Leaders from the City of Twentynine Palms, Copper Mountain College, and the Morongo Unified School District gathered Wednesday morning for an official ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the Culinary Arts & Management Program at Freedom Plaza. The three entities had partnered to ensure that a state-of-the-art kitchen was part of Project Phoenix; the classroom kitchen is crucial to help prep local students seeking employment in the restaurant industry.
Opening remarks were delivered by Twentynine Palms Mayor McArthur Wright, Field Representative Glen Harris representing County Supervisor Dawn Rowe, Morongo Unified School District (MUSD) Board of Education President Cathy Nelson, and Copper Mountain College (CMC) Dean of Instruction, Career Technical Education and Career Services, Evelyn Sheffield. Once Mayor Wright cut the ribbon, attendees streamed into the fully stocked kitchen for a look-see.
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Cookies and blueberry scones, made by students, were served to delighted attendees. Chef instructors Travis Royer aka “Chef Blue” working with MUSD students, and Dereck LaGuardia, working with CMC students, were on hand to answer questions.
When Freedom Plaza officially opened last March, the nation was facing supply chain issues, which delayed the opening of the kitchen until recently. Though MUSD students have been enjoying the facility since last October, CMC students began using the kitchen just a few weeks ago.
CMC offers a Culinary Arts Certificate of Achievement program with an emphasis on employment preparation. To learn more about the program, visit this link: https://www.cmccd.edu/culinary-arts/
