Community Partnerships Bring Culinary Learning to Bridges
An idea that began as a learning opportunity for one student has now turned into an impactful addition to an entire program. When Bridges student Tyanna Eiland entered the Central Texas Food Bank culinary program to explore her interests in the food industry, she didn’t yet know that her very own Bridges Job Coach, Courtney Marak, would be joining her on the journey.
As Tyanna’s Job Coach, Marak first met with a representative at the Central Texas Food Bank to discuss Eiland’s skill levels and communication skills in order to plan out what the course could look like for her.
“As I learned more about Courtney’s role in Bridges, it became apparent to me that she could gain a lot from this program, too,” Cameron Thomas, Culinary Training Manager at Central Texas Food Bank, said. “I told her that she should go through the course with Tyanna, and that I was confident she could take back skills to support other students in Bridges.”
And so together, Eiland and Marak began a rigorous 10-week culinary training program in the Fall of 2024. The two met with Chef Thomas six hours a day, five days a week at the Central Texas Food Bank where they explored various culinary techniques and food recipes.
For their final test before graduation, Eiland and Marak were each tasked with creating a five-course meal. Spoiler…they passed!
“Now that I’ve completed this program, I feel like I have learned so much about the culinary world,” Eiland said. “I’m excited for my next step, which is a job at Gold Burger Diner where I do food prep, make burger sauce, use my knife skills and more.”
As for Marak, she has started integrating her newly-learned culinary techniques and skills into existing Bridges curriculum, with the hope that it can become an entire course of its own.
“My goal is to become a special education culinary teacher here at Bridges,” Marak said. “I’ll need to take some additional coursework, but I’m ready for the challenge, and I can’t wait to see how it helps more students reach their full potential in the kitchen.”
A Note of Thanks – It Takes a Village
“This journey was made possible with key support from the Central Texas Food Bank and the Assistance League of Georgetown, who have played an instrumental role in ensuring our students' success,” Marak said. “The Assistance League so generously provided Tyanna and other Bridges students with knife sets, aprons, interview clothes and technology devices, while the Central Texas Food Bank welcomed us with open arms into their incredible program.”
About the Bridges Program:
Bridges serves adult students ages 18-22 with special needs in Georgetown ISD. Bridges 18+ services are designed to increase student independence and functional skills needed to meet daily living requirements.
You can read more spotlights on the Bridges program on our website.
