It’s all part of the DHS Culinary Department’s annual gingerbread-house project, a beloved tradition that has resulted in some truly impressive structures – from igloos and cathedrals to trains and Barbie Dreamhouses.
“The students have total creative control over the design and theme of their gingerbread house,” said DHS Culinary Arts Teacher Angela Fosco. “They conceptualize the design of the structure, and everything is made from scratch so they can showcase the culinary skills and knowledge they’ve acquired over the course of the semester.”
Students said they love the creative freedom they have over their culinary projects in general, and over the gingerbread houses in particular.
“You get a lot of freedom in here as you work on projects, and I like that,” said freshman Keelyn Reynolds as she topped her group’s beach house with white-chocolate frosting, which her teammates would eventually cover in graham cracker-crumb “sand.”
Reynolds’ fellow team member Will Shawcroft-Majeski, sophomore, added that the hands-on, student-driven nature of DHS’ culinary classes sparks creativity.
“Everybody’s house is unique. Everyone designed it themselves.”
Building scratch-made gingerbread houses is not for the faint of heart, but DHS’ approximately 150 Culinary Essentials, Catering, and ProStart I and II students were up to the challenge.
Working in teams of three or four and drawing on culinary skills they’ve honed all semester, students made gingerbread dough, rolled it out in precise thicknesses, cut roof and wall panels to exact dimensions, and used problem-solving skills when pieces broke or structures needed additional stabilization.
They used teamwork, communication, and effective time management to complete their designs within the allotted class periods – all while adhering to food safety and sanitation standards.
“Building a gingerbread house requires more precision and technical skill than many people realize,” Fosco said. “Students aren’t just baking cookies. They’re engineering a structure. Things don’t always go as planned, and watching students troubleshoot and get creative when that happens is inspiring.”
Fosco’s fellow Culinary Arts Teacher, Joe Burns, agreed.
“If you think of the Portrait of a Graduate qualities, this project really hits on all of those,” he said as he monitored trays of gingerbread baking in the Culinary Department’s commercial ovens. “Students have to be Agile Thinkers, Creative Problem-Solvers, Resilient Risk-Takers, Empathetic Collaborators, and more to bring their gingerbread projects to life.”
After teams finalize their structures, each class will vote on their favorites. The completed designs will then be displayed in DHS’ main hallway for a week.
But DHS’ culinary students will end this semester with more than just a tasty holiday decoration and better kitchen skills. They’ll also be taking home the skills they need to win at life.
“Whether they’re following a recipe, working together on a project or catering event, or solving real-world challenges, students are learning to think critically and creatively,” Fosco said. “They’re not just learning how to cook – they’re learning how to succeed.”