By Steve Steiner

Managing editor

ssteiner@elkintribune.com

Senior Erik Hall and sophomores Kristin Shore and Veronica Sellars were among the students putting the final touches to Monday’s dinner presentation at Elkin High School.

They would be serving the members of the Surry County Board of County Commissioners and invited guests, and they wanted to make sure everything was just right. Around the room they went, doing place settings and putting down salads and cups of honey-cinammon butter on tables.

Over in a far corner, Emily Pippin, a senior at Elkin High School and the president of FCCLA (Family Career Community Leaders of America), was checking on the several pots of green beans, cooking beans her grandmother, Glena Gambill had grown.

“We’re using this for one of our star events in competition next week in Greensboro,” said Pippin.

In another room, Molly Love, a sophomore, was hard at work prepping salads under the watchful eye of her teacher, Kali Teague.

Every so often, a student would approach Teague, who would then point the student in one direction or the other to do an assignment or help a fellow student. Other than that, the students worked on their own initiative, just as they had been for the past month on this event.

“They planned everything, from deciding on the menu and doing the shopping and preparing,” said Teague. “All I did was push the shopping cart.”

The students, she said, also came in under budget.

Debbie McCoin took all this in as she stood off in the corner of the room. Director of child nutrition for the Elkin City Schools system, McCoin said that in the past, the dinner was prepared by the school’s food service staff. As she watched the students, she expressed how impressed she was.

“This is the second year the students are doing this,” she said. “This is fantastic.”

Shortly before 5 p.m., guests began to arrive. They were greeted at the entrance to the room by school superintendent Dr. Randy Bledsoe and his wife, Steva.

Once everyone was assembled, Bledsoe welcomed everyone.

“We’re very thankful to have everybody here tonight,” he said

He enumerated the guests in attendance and made an announcement before grace.

“You are in for a treat tonight,” he said.

Before long, the guests dined on pork loin, roasted red potatoes and green beans. Many found an extra-special delight in the honey-cinammon butter the students had prepared, that the guests used on rolls. The entire experience was brought to a close with the serving of a brownie-like dessert, blondie caramel lights delights, which were topped with vanilla ice cream.

Before the repast came to an end, Bledsoe and several others publicly thanked and congratulated the students and their teacher.

For the students, the belief was they had learned much, not just from the evening, but the course itself.

“This is my first year,” said Kristen Shore. “I have learned about healthy eating.”

For Erik Hall, being a server was not an unique experience. He has held food service jobs at McDonald’s and Backyard Burgers.

“I have learned how to serve people,” he said.

He believes being in food service is a good preparation for his future. Hall will be attending Appalachian Bible College next year. Eventually, he hopes he will land a position as a youth pastor or in music ministry.

This was the second experience for the students in serving a meal to an invited audience, according to Teague. Several months earlier, they — along with assistance from JROTC students and some faculty members — had prepared a dining experience when Howard Lee, executive director of the N.C. Education Cabinet, visited Jan. 28.

“Then, they were brand new,” said Teague. “They did everything this time.”

Teague did not let it go at that.

“The students at Elkin are awesome,” she said.