For Cascade High School Culinary Arts Teacher Megan Sager, the kitchen is more than a classroom. It is a place where students build practical skills, discover new interests and, for some, begin exploring a future career.
Ms. Sager always knew she wanted to be a teacher and developed a love for Family and Consumer Sciences while attending Community High School. After earning a degree in Family and Consumer Sciences with a minor in Secondary Education and a Culinary Arts endorsement, she spent six years teaching Culinary Arts at Warren County High School while commuting from Bedford County.
She always dreamed of returning to the community where she grew up and attended school. That opportunity came when Bedford County Schools Career & Technical Education & Secondary Instructional Supervisor Lori Sexton visited Warren County to tour the culinary kitchen.
“I always dreamed of coming home to Bedford County, where I grew up and attended school,” Ms. Sager said. “I prayed that it would work out, and eventually, I was given the opportunity to come home and teach in the county that helped shape me.”
Now, she shares her passion for Culinary Arts with students at Cascade High School, many of whom begin with little or no kitchen experience.
“I have students who come into my class knowing how to make toast; that’s it. And when they leave, they can make all kinds of things,” she said. “I’ve heard ‘toast’ more than once, but the best answer was probably, ‘Toast, but I always burn it.’”
While some students may discover a passion for culinary careers, Ms. Sager wants every student to leave her classroom with skills they can use in everyday life. Former students have gone on to study Baking and Pastry and Culinary Arts, while others now work in the foodservice industry.
She also values the relationships she builds with students, sometimes teaching them for three or four years. That time allows her to learn their interests, strengths and learning styles while giving students opportunities to connect classroom standards to things they enjoy.
“I love being able to take a standard and make it something that my students can connect to and enjoy,” she said.
For Ms. Sager, seeing students grow is one of the most rewarding parts of teaching.
“They constantly surprise me with their ideas, creativity and work ethic,” she said. “I love when they come in on Monday morning eager to show me what they cooked over the weekend!”
Whether students pursue a culinary career or simply gain the confidence to prepare meals for themselves, the skills they learn in the Culinary Arts classroom can last well beyond high school.
