b'Learning to cook is a survival skill. We are learning lots of new dishes to make at home, what food does for our health, and how to improvise and season our food. Lucy, a Grade 10 student.Recently, the students completed a challengeto prepare and donate 20 Mexican casserolesto a community organization of their choosing.They chose the Victor Mager Community Connector program. Its great bonding with friends and making new ones, said Olenka, a Grade 9 student. In May, the students participated in Battle of the Brigades. The battle gives students the opportunity to invent a new recipe based on the contents inside a surprise basket. The baskets typically include protein and vegetables, and then the students can access a pantry full of herbs, spices, grains, seasonings, and dairy. Dakotas surprise basket held chicken breast, brown rice, and potatoes (students chose one or the other), broccoli, and carrots. The student chefs had 60 minutes on the clock to plan,The judges rated the final plates based on:prepare, and plate their meal for a panel of judges. Once they decided what they would bePlate presentationmaking, it was a first come basis for optionalFlavouringredients that included avocados, broth,Balanced platecheese, green onions, lemons, pasta, peppers,( vegetables,protein, andgrains)tomatoes, tomato sauce, and an assortment ofTeam organization of tasksherbs and spices. Cooking techniques33'