High School chiefs bustled around a side kitchen in the Dr. Marc Smith Teaching and Learning Center. They prepared to showcase their skills for Leadership Southwest’s Class of 2024’s 8th Session. Served that morning was French Toast, donut wholes, bacon, and poached eggs, among other menu items.
Culinary students standing in front of their prepared dishes
One dish had guests talking early: the shrimp and grits. “If you haven’t had a chance, you are going to want to get the shrimp and grits these kids have made,” testified President/CEO of Duncanville Chamber of Commerce Steve Martin as he welcomed guests rolling in.
Andrea Fields, Chief of Staff, speaking to crowd.
Chief of Staff Andrea Fields was very proud of how students looked and the dishes prepared as attendees walked through the serving line and sat down to eat. “The presentation and appearance of the students was very professional,” said Fields. “The food was tasty and was up at the level of prepared chefs.”
Fields believes her students' post-high school careers could include working in the kitchens of some of her favorite restaurants once they receive their diplomas.
"As a teacher hired under Innovation, it is my focus to Educate, Expose, and Enlighten the students about Culinary Arts," stated Culinary teacher Rasheda Johnson. Guests consumed evidence of Johnson's teachings.
Leadership Southwest, founded in 1985, is a cooperative effort sponsored by cities’ commerces in Southwest Dallas County. The organization's mission is to promote and enhance leadership through education in civic and community life.
"Leadership Southwest provided a valuable platform for Duncanville ISD to showcase our CTE programs to local leaders, explains the Director of Career and Technical Education (CTE)
Polished JROTC Students look on attentively
Wednesday, those leaders didn’t just get the chance to taste the food of the culinary students. They witnessed the discipline of the Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) students as they greeted and escorted guests at the door. As the morning passed, attendees also saw the creativity of the graphic arts students.
Apart from the mission to build up current and fledgling business leaders, it is also the mission to bolster the next crop of students who will leave Duncanville High School, gaining a set of skills. Minix in unison with Executive Director Melanie Lewis, Coordinator Brandon Foster, and CTE teachers Rasheda Johnson of the Culinary program, Jay Lamar of the Graphic Arts program, and Inmundo Tucker of the JROTC program, worked hard to create a wonder display of the district’s students’ talents for the community.
Winston C. Minix, Director of CTE, welcoming crowd.
“Attendees from neighboring cities had the chance to observe our Graphic Design students in action, learning about their recent successes in SkillsUSA, Student Enterprise, and Industry-Based Certifications,” says Minix.
As they walked, guests looked at graphic art students' creative work, brands produced for themselves, and freelance work for non-profit organizations. One student constructed a non-profit design that was personal to his experience of being confined at the Mexican border as a U.S. citizen until citizenship could be confirmed.
“Participants also had the opportunity to create their own custom T-shirts thanks to our program's expertise,” explained Minix. Once visitors had seen plenty of the students’ sample work, students got down to business. Students listened as instructions and wishes were forwarded to them from morning guests. Sitting down at their desktop, they began to work, moving and resizing images, grabbing the perfect font, and manipulating a design to suit the wishes and requests of the custom order. Onlookers, even those who weren’t getting a shirt, looked on with awe and interest.
"We pride ourselves on being creative problem solvers for clients in our local school district and within the community," explained Lamar. Beyond creating branding for Leadership Southwest attendees, their work has reached past Southwest Dallas County. "Our creative solutions have reached as far away as New York, California and everywhere in between."
Graphic Design students making shirts
Duncanville ISD’s new creed and marching orders are to “Lead with Impact.” For Fields, attendees saw it in motion. “We saw Lead with Impact in action,” says Fields.
“We are giving these students at 16,17 chances to have real-world experience and brand themselves now.”
Fields even compared her Duncanville students advantage over a high school version of her husband, a former marketing professional with the international brand and business JCPenny.
“In high school, all my husband could take to advance toward his chosen career was art classes. It wasn’t until college he could take marketing classes and it wasn't until a young professional at JCPenny he could work with InDesign. Software our students are using now. When I told my husband, he was amazed.”
With this CTE department, high school students have a chance to advance their careers now and in front of an audience. "Our goal is for every student in our program to find their creative voice and graduate with a portfolio full of class projects and client work so they can take their career to the next level,” says Lamar.