This milestone represents an innovative way for high school students to explore career options and gain job-readiness skills
On Feb. 16, students at Washougal High School served up their first meals out of the Shoug Shack, the high school’s new student-run food truck. The school parking lot transformed into an active mobile learning lab for the first time since the food truck’s official ribbon cutting last school year. This milestone represents an innovative way for high school students to explore career options and gain job-readiness skills.
The Shoug Shack is a student-run project, from conceptualization of the food truck to menu development, meal preparation, customer service, and more. The experience equips students with experience in entrepreneurship and culinary arts. Career & Technical Education (CTE) classes like culinary arts combine academic, employability, leadership, and technical skills that help students achieve success in education and life. “I’m learning a lot about business and how much effort and planning goes into running a small business,” said Drake Leifsen, student in Advanced Culinary Arts at Washougal High School.
Culinary students at the high school prepared and served a menu of beef kabobs, vegetable kabobs and seasoned rice with apples and milk for the food truck’s inaugural lunch. The culinary arts department at Washougal High School plans to serve meals out of the food truck once a month this school year. “The food tasted really good,” said Dexter Baca, Washougal High School student. “I’m looking forward to them doing this more often.”
About CTE Programs at Washougal High School
Last year, Washougal High School students earned 827 job readiness certifications in CTE classes. “CTE programs prepare students with tangible skills directly relevant to current industry standards,” said Margaret Rice, Director of Career & Technical Education at Washougal School District. “Job readiness certifications provide students with a competitive edge in today’s workforce.”
CTE programs in Washougal schools provided more than 1,850 student work-based learning experiences last year. These included service learning projects, industry experts as guest speakers, and industry tours, which help students explore career pathways as they prepare to enter the workforce. In 2023, Washougal High School had an 89% on-time graduation rate, the highest on record at the school.
Despite budgetary constraints, the district has been able to maintain important job readiness programs like the food truck project by leveraging state CTE funding, grants, and community partnerships. Organizations like Workforce SW provide funds that let the district provide excellent, innovative programs that build the skills students need to succeed in local jobs. Washougal School District is able to offer these high quality job-readiness programs thanks to strong local community support and targeted funding sources.
Information provided by the Washougal School District.
Also read:
- Community in Action: Police cruisers ‘crammed’ with snacks to benefit local students
Nearly 8,500 snacks filled police cruisers at Fred Meyer as the community rallied to stock high school pantries and build new relationships. - County seeking young people to fill 10 volunteer positions on Youth Commission
Young people ages 12-19 from across Clark County can now apply for at least 10 open seats on the Youth Commission, providing input on community decisions. - Washougal High School students pitch energy ideas to Clark PUD
High schoolers modeled power grid solutions, balancing future growth, clean energy laws, and everyday reliability challenges with direct input from utility experts. - ‘Cram the Cruiser’ to benefit Battle Ground and Prairie High Schools
Officer Phil Anderson’s food pantry at Battle Ground High inspired Prairie High to launch its own, providing snacks and building bridges between students and law enforcement. - 60th Annual Hazel Dell Parade of Bands returns this May
Twelve retired local band directors will be featured as Grand Marshals when the Hazel Dell Parade of Bands celebrates its 60th year with 120 entries and thousands of spectators.
