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MVHS culinary arts students learn to make cake pops with Patty Pops bakery owner

Group of culinary students holding up cake pops.
MVHS culinary arts students learn to make cake pops with Patty Pops bakery owner

Students in the Culinary Arts 1 course at Mount Vernon High School worked with dough, sprinkles and chocolate to make cake pops on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Petroula Lambrou Kalognomas, the owner of the Pelham bakery Patty Pops, walked students through the process of making their own cake pops for a Career and Technical Education (CTE) Week demonstration.

Demonstrator showing how to make the cake pops.

Ms. Lambrou Kalognomas first spoke to students about starting a business. She started Patty Pops five years ago and wanted to encourage students to pursue their passions, especially if it means opening their own business.

“I think a lot of times young people have a lot of pressure to decide what they want to do, what they want to major in and what they want to go to school for,” said Ms. Lambrou Kalognomas. “I think it’s really important to network, engage and try different things. I also encouraged them to do internships. I wanted to give a little bit of my experience and my advice, so that way people can see if it’s something that they want to do.”

Students learned about how to run a business and important information for starting one, such as obtaining a clientele. They then began making the cake pops. After they were done, each student ate their own chocolate-dipped cake pop.

Culinary students rolling cake pops.

“We held this demonstration so students could ask questions, learn from a local entrepreneur, and see what it takes to open up their own business,” said Samantha Cohen, the culinary arts teacher at MVHS. “They really gained insight from someone who has done it from the ground up, and someone who started with their idea in high school, so they can see they can do it as well.”

Stessy Lovinsky, a 12th-grade student at MVHS, is an intern at Patty Pops and assisted with the demonstration.

“I’m really happy I’m interning there,” said Stessy. “Ms. Cohen always tries to give everyone a chance to work in the industry, and I have actually really enjoyed it.”

Stessy is going to school for nutrition, so having experience working with food will be valuable for her future career. 

CTE Week activities began on Monday, May 13, with an automotive presentation from Earle Mitchell, technical placement specialist at Ford. CTE Week will continue for the rest of the week with another culinary presentation and a community career fair on Wednesday, a Department of Labor wage and hour presentation on Thursday, and the annual CTE Transition Fair on Friday.

Culinary students working on cake pops
Stessy working on cake pops.
Several culinary students working on cake pops.
Culinary students standing at the counter working on cake pops.

 

Students posing for the camera.
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Culinary culinary arts students kick off CTE Week with baking presentation
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Student in nursing course practicing phlebotomy.
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4 students at NYSRA Prostart competition.
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