HOUSTON COUNTY, Ga. — Home economics related courses in schools used to be the norm, but now they are rare. Only about 6,000 schools nationwide offer these types of classes, according to Salon Magazine.
Tucker Elementary School in Houston County is a part of the small fraction of schools bringing these skills to students. Third grader Owen Baker said he enjoys the after-school cooking club.
"It's a fun experience and you can learn how to make things that you've never known how to make,” he said.
Students are learning how to set the table, use math to measure ingredients and prepare meals they can make at home. Third grade teacher and club sponsor Jordan Seabolt said teachers notice students doing better in class because of skills they pick up in the club.
"The amazing thing about cooking club is that the things that we do, they go across the board,” she said. “It's math concepts, it's reading, it's writing and it's every skill tied to the standards that they learn throughout elementary school that move on to middle and high and into their college career."
Their club uniform is a custom cooking apron with their first names on it. Second grader Kiley Harris said she's already bringing the recipes home.
"The thing I like about the cooking process is when we cook the bagels,” she said. “I told my mom and then, I asked her if we can cook bagels at home and, we did, and they were so good."
Seabolt said they teach students about choosing healthy food options to live longer and happier.
“It just means a lot because there are students that don't get to learn these kinds of things,” Seabolt said. “So as their mom when they're at school, they get to learn that."
Another ingredient to making the club fun is the chance to form friendships along the way.
"The first time when I came here, I just thought it was fun because I didn't think all of those people will be in here,” Harris said. “I get to make new friends from third grade."
This is the first year Tucker Elementary offered the cooking club. Seabolt said they planned for 20 students, but due to overwhelming interest expanded that number to 36.