Zalenski and eight juniors and seniors worked Sept. 29-30 in a food truck owned by Interstate Waste Services at the Apex Landfill in Amsterdam. Students prepared hot dogs and hamburgers for employees as part of an employee appreciation event.
Zalenski said Interstate Waste Services contacted the program about using the company’s food truck. “We cooked for employee appreciation and had 90 people each day,” he said.
Students participating were Riley Guskea, Alaycia Selman, Payton Wright, Mikayla Wade, Koletin Burkey, Taylor Harris, Anthony Pierce and Cara Young.
Zalenski said four students worked each day, learning how to prepare food in the tighter quarters of a food truck. The setting was much smaller than the CrestView Inn Café at the school, but he said the students handled the experience well.
“It was a great experience,” Zalenski said. “The students had a good time doing it and it was a real-life experience.”
Several students said they enjoyed the opportunity.
“It was fun,” Selman said, adding that she liked gaining new skills.
“I had a great time,” Burkey said. “We were having a blast and the employees were very friendly.”
“It was pretty fun,” Harris said. “It was fast-paced and a different experience.”
Students have participated in off-site catering in the past and are scheduled for several upcoming activities.
They will serve caramel apples during the JVS Fall Fest Oct. 15, prepare pasta for the free JVS spaghetti dinner Oct. 22, serve meals for the schoolwide advisory committee meeting Oct. 28 and host a fall buffet lunch Oct. 29 featuring roast beef and turkey. Reservations will be required for the buffet.
Students also will prepare a Veterans Day breakfast Nov. 10 in conjunction with the school’s annual program.
Other plans include pierogi sales and pumpkin roll and pie sales between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Students also are expected to serve about 300 people during the annual Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby at the JVS Feb. 6.
Zalenski said a barbecue buffet also is being considered for the spring.
