Best Point Education & Behavioial Health
5050 Madison Road
Cincinnati, OH 45227
Culinary Education and Nutrition Program
Program Description:
Best Point (formerly The Children’s Home TCH) is committed to advancing work experiences and opportunities for high schoolers and graduates who have developmental, mental and behavioral health conditions. We aim to support, educate, and develop our youth’s job and life skills (in and out of the classroom) and provide work experiences that lead to “permanent” positions. As we advance our campus work experiences as well as those in the community. The culinary arts career path is one that shows high interest in our student population and our priority on health and nutrition are highly aligned. All students on campus receive health, wellness and nutrition education. This allows our at-risk youth exposure to different nutritional foods, opportunities to learn life skills as well as exposure to the culinary career path. Our transition aged youth progress into more formal pre-culinary and culinary programming, seals and certification opportunities.
Grant Evaluation Report:
During the 2022-2023 School Year, the Heidt Center of Excellence culinary class had an impressive turnout with 24 enthusiastic students. The Lower School also had 16 seventh-grade students who received nutritional education, life skills, and culinary exposure through their participation. In addition to their classroom curriculum, which consisted of two-hour sessions twice a week, the students received practical training in the food service kitchen alongside our skilled food service staff.
The commitment and dedication of our students were commendable, as every single one of them successfully completed the curriculum. To further enhance their culinary journey, we organized various "Try It" activities for our students on the Madisonville Campus. An impressive 90% of the students participated, engaging in exciting experiences such as "Taste it Tuesday," where they had the opportunity to sample and explore healthy food items. Some of the interesting food items they tried included black bean salsa, edamame, couscous, and WOW butter, just to name a few. We also incorporated nutritional education by distributing recipes and conducting tastings during our budget boot camp, where students gained valuable skills in real-world budgeting.
Our commitment to collaboration and community involvement was evident through our partnership with the Ken Anderson Alliance. Together, we developed a coffee cart that served as a valuable learning tool for our students. Not only were they able to create and utilize the cart on-site for our staff, but we are also planning to visit the Ken Anderson Alliance facility in the upcoming year, offering our students a unique and immersive learning experience.
Furthermore, we were fortunate to welcome volunteers from US Foods who provided valuable insights into culinary careers. The US Foods staff not only shared career information but also engaged the students in hands-on culinary activities, fostering their passion and igniting their creativity.
Through these initiatives, Best Point is committed to providing exceptional culinary education and experiences, nurturing the talents and interests of our students while promoting healthy eating habits, community partnerships, and real-world skills.
Website:
http://www.bestpoint.org Amount: $25,000
Date: June 2022
