BOCES CTE programs collaborate on food truck

Earlier this month, TST BOCES announced that its Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs had started a collaborative project to establish a CTE food truck. It’s the first project of its kind for CTE, and staff and students alike are looking forward to the benefits it will have for both BOCES and the community.

Once complete, the food truck, according to a recent press release, will be run and operated by students, and proceeds from sales will go toward supporting CTE students’ involvement in SkillsUSA. The food truck is expected to have a soft opening this fall.

The trailer being remodeled for the project was originally used at Frozen Ocean Motorsports Facility in Auburn and was purchased from Ryan Walczak, Frozen Ocean owner and previous TST BOCES instructor.

“It just kind of came to us in a natural way, where our culinary teacher used to work on this food truck and knew that they were selling it,” said Cindy Walter, TST BOCES executive director of career education. “And we thought, ‘what a great opportunity for us to get something that, potentially, is really expensive [and] buy it really inexpensive, but work on it as a project and create it at every level.’ … And it could include so many of our programs.”

Culinary Arts and World of Work Food Service instructors Vicki Fitzgerald and Sara Speciale are working with their students to establish a business plan, create menus and prepare the food, according to the release.

The food truck is being cleaned and fixed by instructor Matt Lott and his autobody students, who will also give the trailer a new look and paint job. Digital media students will work to design a logo, establish branding and develop marketing plans.

As sources interviewed for this story shared, the collaboration among programs is a big motivator for the project and an opportunity that most CTE students don’t have.

“It’s easy to feel isolated in COVID, and even in any classroom,” said CTE Principal Kevin Casler. “So, it’s something that actually can bring people together in a time when, for a long time, we’ve spent trying to keep them apart. … This is a very interesting year in education, and the tiny wins can go a long way.”

On top of the collaboration benefit, the food truck also gives CTE an opportunity to show the community what CTE programs are all about.

“It definitely provides an opportunity for people outside of this school to not only try our food but learn about what we do in this kitchen,” said Culinary Arts student AJ Tatusko. “Right now, the only people that really get to experience that are the people that are on this campus or nearby, but nobody from other schools or other districts really get to try or see how we operate.”

Fitzgerald agreed, adding that it also gives students real-world experience to go along with their studies.

“The food truck, number one, is a great learning experience for the students,” she said. “It’s going to be such a useful tool for them to get real-life experience as far as jobs that they might have afterwards, being able to possibly open up their own businesses at some point in time, learning how to operate all the other different types of equipment.”

Other students shared Fitz­gerald’s enthusiasm.

“I always thought it would be really cool to run a food truck,” said Auto Body student Ava Richardson. “So, I just took interest to really see what was inside and how it works.”

Fellow Auto Body student Kayla Park shared her thoughts.

“When I first heard that we were working on a food truck, I thought it was like a truck that you were driving in the front, and then the food was in the back like the actual food trucks or like the camper things,” she said. “But just working on something different always helps.”

While the pandemic is expected to possibly slow some of the process, sources agreed that it won’t be much of an obstacle.

“I don’t really see it affecting us that much,” Lott said. “It’s a big enough trailer so that we’ve all been able to keep our distance working on it. And that’s another thing that’s actually made it a good project for us is that it’s large and we can socially distance.”

Walter added that the pandemic has actually made this project all the more exciting.

“We’re under no pressure to have it ready by a certain date. It is about the process,” she said. “We’re not just hunkering down. We’re still growing and doing something new, despite the pandemic, not letting us stop our entrepreneurial spirit.”

And as Fitzgerald described, the food truck is the ideal dining situation for what has become the new normal.

“The nice thing about the food truck is they don’t have to dine in,” she said. “They’re grabbing their food, and they’re taking it with them. And that’s kind of what’s becoming more of the norm right now. So, I think that actually might work in our favor, as far as giving somebody an alternative option to be able to go in and dine and get out and about and not need to be in a closed environment.”

Walter also clarified that the food truck, once open, won’t draw away customers from other local businesses.

“There may be an event sometimes going on where someone says, ‘Hey, we have no way to provide food out here. Is there any way you can bring the food truck out?’ And we can help somebody with an event,” she said. “But we’re not trying to draw off any local market. … Most of the food truck work will be generated in the kitchens of our culinary programs here and then brought to the truck so that we can go take it out to the public, and it’ll be strategically placed.”

Ultimately, sources said that even before it opens, the food truck will be a great project for staff and students alike. Most, like Fitzgerald, shared that they hope the food truck will be a welcome addition to the community.

“I hope that people pay attention to us and get ready for what we have to offer,” she said. “And if they see the truck out and about, come over and stop and say hello and grab some food. I don’t think they’ll be disappointed. I hope we’ll see him back a second time around.”

Visit tstboces.org/cte for more information about CTE programs.