Prince Day with Prince Lebanese Grill means great food

In 91制片厂, a prince wears a chef鈥檚 hat.听

The district celebrated the first 鈥淧rince Day鈥� across all high school campuses yesterday - honoring the flavors of local favorite .听听

With a choice of Mediterranean chicken, Prince shawarma wings or beef pita served with the Prince squash and zucchini, each dish was Prince Lebanese-inspired and crafted by chef Aziz Kobty.听

鈥淭o be involved with the district that I grew up in, giving back, contributing, helping the kids get some cultural food, some good food, it means a lot to us,鈥� Kobty said.听

That鈥檚 also why Kobty and his team ran the food line and sat with students during lunch at Arlington High School.听

鈥淭his is the first day that we鈥檝e done a line where it was all Prince,鈥� Kobty said. 鈥淪eeing the kids smile, interacting with them and feeding them, it鈥檚 been a lot of fun.鈥澨�听

For 91制片厂 students, the Mediterranean-inspired items have shaped a positive experience with cafeteria food. In fact, each Prince-inspired menu item is already served in every campus cafeteria throughout the week.听听

鈥淚t鈥檚 something healthier, something different,鈥� said Arlington High School sophomore Ruby Medina. 鈥淚 love that we have more options other than just burgers, nachos and pizza. The wings looked really good. I saw a lot of people going to that line and I started thinking I need to get a piece of that.鈥�听

But for 91制片厂 director of food and nutrition services David Lewis, Prince Day wasn鈥檛 just about serving good food.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 about building community,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about coming together around a meal and building relationships. I'm just so excited. The Kobty family is a special family that loves our community, loves Arlington and they continue to give back. To be able to bring the family here and to see people liking their food in another environment is special for them, too. Food truly brings communities together.鈥澨�听

View campus cafeteria menus . And if you didn't get to celebrate Prince Day with Prince Lebanese Grill or if you鈥檙e hungry for more, you know where to find !

18 PLUSS provides vocational development

Signing Day came early in the 91制片厂 for six 18 PLUSS students last week.

With all the pomp and circumstance of an athletics signing day, six students made their future intentions known by signing on for their future in front of friends at family at the district鈥檚 food and nutrition services office on Thursday.

The only difference is the students weren鈥檛 signing with colleges 鈥� they were making their internships official with different district food and nutrition services departments.

Starting Wednesday, the students will intern with the hopes of either landing a full-time job with the district or setting themselves up for employment outside the district once the internship ends.

鈥淲e wanted this to be meaningful so that they know we鈥檙e excited about this,鈥� said David Lewis, 91制片厂鈥檚 food and nutrition services executive director. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the whole meaning about tonight. We want them to know we鈥檙e expecting them. We want them to know we鈥檙e excited to have them.鈥�

That鈥檚 why there was music, brief bios about the students, balloons, a table to sign at and caps and gear to help the students take the next step.

The Performance-Based Learning in Unique School Settings (18 PLUSS) students will intern at Boles Junior High, Gunn Junior High and Fine Arts and Dual Language Academy, Bowie High School, Martin High School, Seguin High School as well as the district鈥檚 food and nutrition services office.

Serving students 18-22 years old, the 18 PLUSS program is designed to support high school students eligible for special education services who require assistance in securing and sustaining employment in their local area as part of their vocational development.听

The idea of doing the internship started with a conversation between Lewis and 18 PLUSS coordinator Brenda Cupps back in 2019. But COVID delayed that launch. The two picked up the talks again in the spring.

Cupps hopes it鈥檚 a sign of things to come.

鈥淚t鈥檚 something that we鈥檇 like to partner with departments for our students who are capable of working in the 91制片厂,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e have a lot of students who if you ask them who they want to work for it鈥檚 the 91制片厂. It鈥檚 all they know.鈥�

Now several students will get to learn more about how the FNS department works.

Alyssa Rios, who will begin her internship at Seguin, has lofty goals for her future following the internship.

鈥淏eing a chef,鈥� she said.

She鈥檚 making small strides toward that goal at home, where her specialties are grilled cheese and egg sandwiches.

For Alyssa鈥檚 mom Angela Johnson, the signing day was huge.

鈥淚鈥檓 so proud of her,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is something that she鈥檚 really worked for on her own. Even though she鈥檚 going to be living with me, this gives her something where she has her own identity.鈥�

Five of the students will learn the ins and outs of school cafeterias while Jair Gonzales will focus on tech at the district offices because his goal is to work with computers or animation.

Internships like this are hopefully a first step for all the students.

鈥淗ow can we come together for the betterment of our students?鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 what we do. To be able to build a pathway where we can take on interns every year and then open positions where they can become an employee of the district after that is just awesome.鈥�

from the signing day.

Taste of 91制片厂 features student-created dishes

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1ZtkOC6tgM[/embed]

If you cook it, they will come.

And then they鈥檒l come back for seconds. And thirds.

The first-ever Taste of the 91制片厂 was proof that if students have outstanding dining options that come from the minds of their classmates, there鈥檚 a hunger for that fare.

The event at Seguin High School last Tuesday served as a showcase for the district鈥檚 By Students 4 Students program, where 91制片厂 high school culinary students get creative to get their menu item in schools throughout the district. The Taste of 91制片厂 also gave the public a chance to see what students are whipping up, as everyone was welcome to attend.

More than 400 showed up to sample food created by students from Arlington, Bowie, Martin and Seguin high schools as well as the Dan Dipert Career + Technical Center.

Those showing up and expecting to eat the kind of school lunches they grew up on were pleasantly surprised. And stuffed!

鈥淲hat a great opportunity for kids to show their skills and do their thing,鈥� said David Adams, who attended with his wife Aubrey and doesn鈥檛 even have a student in the school district. 鈥淭o have everyone come out and try this, where else do you get this opportunity? It鈥檚 fantastic. This wasn鈥檛 going to be our dinner, but now it is.鈥�

Adams said that after only sampling six of the 12 menu items available. That was before he had a chance to eat chicken and dumplings or the chicken parmesan or the egg bites. The Adams were expecting to go eat dinner after they left. That didn鈥檛 happen because they were too full.

Taste highlighted a program that started more than two years ago when Bowie High School鈥檚 culinary students put together items to get them on the school menu. The program has blossomed since then, with community partners like getting on board and putting Prince-inspired food in district cafeterias.

All the menu items must meet the U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines before they can be served to students. Students showcased their items for district staff last spring, and the Taste of Arlington was the first chance for the public to get to sample the food.

听The event was special for the students who had a hand in creating the dishes.

鈥淚t makes me really happy and it鈥檚 really rewarding,鈥� said Martin junior Kennedie Jamison, who helped with the Cajun chicken alfredo dish people sampled and will be served at campuses this fall. 鈥淚 get to spread my design wings. It鈥檚 a 鈥榃ow鈥� moment for me.鈥�

It was a wow moment for the district, too.

鈥淭he thing I love about it the most is that it鈥檚 centered on student learning,鈥� 91制片厂 superintendent Dr. Matt Smith said. 鈥淪o not only are we sampling good food, but this is about the community partnering with kids to help them learn, grow and showcase their skills. It鈥檚 awesome.鈥�

In addition to eating, there was a festive atmosphere at the event with mascots from the Texas Rangers and UT Arlington on hand as well as prizes given away. Families could also find out more information about free and reduced-price meal benefits as well as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

For parents and students who attended Taste, it left them excited about what they鈥檒l be able to eat this year. KP Holley attended with her two daughters 鈥� Trinity and Kirsten. Trinity is starting school at Gunn Junior High and Fine Arts and Dual Language Academy while Kirsten is at Arlington High.

KP Holley was used to eating lunch with her daughter in elementary school. Now she鈥檚 going to miss out on some of the newest offerings with her daughter at Gunn.

鈥淚鈥檝e got a junior high kid, and we don鈥檛 go to lunch with them so I鈥檓 not going to get this anymore,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat was my only time to get this. I loved the wings. I loved the calzones. I loved the stir fry. I loved everything I tried.鈥�

The community support for the event was huge, with Aziz Kobty from Prince Lebanese Grill helping spearhead that effort.

He worked with 91制片厂 executive director of food and nutrition services David Lewis to get the program expanded. It was the Prince wings that was one of the first new dishes to debut in 91制片厂 schools, and there are Prince-inspired spices at district campuses so students can add their own flavor to their meals.

Kobty, who attended Martin High School, is proud to see how far the program has come.

鈥淲hat these kids have come up with is amazing,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey have to bring flavor to the schools. There are so many kids and cultures that need to be represented on the lunch line. Even the adults here are like, 鈥榃e didn鈥檛 have this when I was growing up.鈥� Teachers want to eat lunch in the cafeteria. I鈥檓 proud of all the kids and all the food that鈥檚 been made.鈥�

from Taste of 91制片厂.

Sign up now for Taste of 91制片厂

In 91制片厂, anything is pasta-ble!听

Get it? It鈥檚 a food pun. And in the 91制片厂, we love to showcase the outstanding food options available for our students.听听

That's why the district鈥檚 food and nutrition services department is hosting its first-ever Taste of 91制片厂 event at Seguin High School this month.听听

Event Details听

Join us on Tuesday, July 30, from 5-7 p.m. to treat your taste buds to a variety of FREE dishes created by 91制片厂鈥檚 By Students 4 Students program.听听

鈥淲e have four goals for the Taste of 91制片厂,鈥� said executive director of food and nutrition services David Lewis.听听

The goals are:听听

• Share the talent of high school culinary teams with the community.听

• Keep parents and students excited about the continual changes being made through the By Students 4 Students menu concept.听

• Inspire this year鈥檚 culinary teams to create recipes for next year and inspire additional 91制片厂 alumni with restaurants in Arlington to join the By Students 4 Students program.听

• Provide an opportunity for families to apply for 2024-25 meal benefits.听

With 12 menu items available for tasting, there is something for everyone. Cajun chicken alfredo, calzones and the famous 鈥淧rince Inspired鈥� shawarma wings from are just a few you can expect in 91制片厂 schools this year.听

Lewis got the idea for the event from another successful district event 鈥� early childhood鈥檚 Pre-K Palooza. It鈥檚 a free event that covers everything pre-K.听

鈥淲e thought, what kind of event can we put on to register students for meal benefits and showcase the tremendous talent of our culinary students?鈥� Lewis said.听听

Many of the items you can sample started as ideas in culinary classes in our high schools. Students took those concepts and turned them into tasty menu items now served in our schools. 听

Get Ready for the School Year听

听Once you fill your belly, you can get help with other things to prepare you for the upcoming school year. 91制片厂 representatives will be on hand to assist you with:听

• 听Applying for free and reduced-price meal benefits: Ensure your child has access to nutritious meals throughout the school year.听
• Signing up for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits: Learn how to receive support for your grocery needs.听

Register Today!听听

听 to register for the event as space is limited. And be sure to mark your calendars to support our culinary experts and get ready for a fantastic school year. We can鈥檛 wait to see you there!听

Learn more about 91制片厂鈥檚 Food and Nutrition Services.听听

By Students 4 Students Showcase

The By Students 4 Students (BS4S) program in 91制片厂 is exactly how it sounds. 听

鈥淥ur students are the customers,鈥� said 91制片厂 executive director of food services David Lewis. 听

And in this case, they鈥檙e the masterminds behind the menu, too! 听

That鈥檚 why culinary classes from four of the district鈥檚 high schools came together for the third annual BS4S Showcase at the food and nutrition services building last week.听

鈥淏ut it鈥檚 student driven from the very beginning, starting in our elementary and junior high schools,鈥� Lewis said.听

Each year, Lewis and his department听bring hundreds of students from across 91制片厂 to taste test basic food ingredients. 听

鈥淲e have to have roughly 500 students taste items with a 70% favorability before it gets onto our menus,鈥� he said. 听

Using that feedback, those ingredients are handed over to the culinary programs where students transform them into delicious recipes.听

For the biggest showcase yet, students from Arlington High School, Bowie High School, Martin High School, Seguin High School and the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center participated in putting their creativity to the test. 听

Joined by Martin High School alum Aziz Kobty from - whose squash and wings are a staple of the district鈥檚 menu already - students displayed听their own dish ideas for听the district鈥檚 2024-25 fall menu.听

鈥淭he future is bright for culinary here in 91制片厂,鈥� Kobty said. 鈥淚鈥檓 glad it鈥檚 not a competition because I think I鈥檇 have my work cut out for me with these kids.鈥�听

Crunch wrap supreme quesadillas, Cajun alfredo, egg bites and poutine were just a few of the dishes brought to the table.听

鈥淚t feels great to have an opinion,鈥� said Arlington High sophomore Joan Villanueva. 鈥淲e get to have a say in what we like, express our own ideas and make the food we eat听in school.鈥�听

Despite the challenge听of following the guidelines, more than 15 samples were presented at the showcase.听

鈥淭his event empowers them to use their skills and make something tasty while following very difficult guidelines,鈥� said nutrition education coach Kristy McAlister.听

But wait, there鈥檚 more! The culinary extravaganza even coincided with the first-ever Aimed to promote awareness of the health benefits of fruits and vegetables in public schools,听dishes听also incorporated a variety of fruits and veggies. 听

The BS4S program students听sure do prove that healthy eating can be delicious, too!听

鈥淚f we truly want students to benefit from what they eat in school, they have to like it,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淭he best way for them to do that is to create it!鈥� 听

Learn more about what鈥檚 on the menu. 听

School lunches rise to a new level

Pizza used to be the highlight in school cafeterias. But not in the 91制片厂 anymore. Options like chicken carnita burritos, a blackened chicken mozzarella sandwich and Prince Lebanese鈥檚 wings grace the menu this year.

Those popular choices are just three menu options created by high school culinary students and Martin High School alum Aziz Kobty of . And more are coming.

They鈥檙e part of the By Students 4 Students program that is transforming the district鈥檚 lunch menus.

[iframe title="Class Has Begun in the Kitchen!" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FArlingtonISD%2Fvideos%2F632377542409685%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"]

鈥淲e want to make sure everything is student-driven,鈥� said David Lewis, 91制片厂鈥檚 executive director of food and nutrition services and the mastermind behind By Students 4 Students.

That鈥檚 not just lip service from Lewis. He and his department actually bring hundreds of students from across 91制片厂 to the district鈥檚 test kitchen to taste test food items. Lewis鈥� team then uses their feedback and orders the items and ingredients they preferred in the taste tests. Lewis then sends those student-selected items to the culinary programs at the district鈥檚 high schools and tells them to get creative and develop new menu options with those items.

That鈥檚 where the chicken carnitas and chicken mozzarella sandwiches came from. Straight out of Bowie High School鈥檚 culinary kitchen and now in school cafeterias districtwide.

鈥淭his is so great because the students get to use the skills they learn in culinary class,鈥� said Martin culinary teacher Lindsey Oseguera. 鈥淭hey apply it to be able to create their own dishes that they want to eat in the cafeterias."

Oseguera鈥檚 new culinary class got a special treat earlier this week when they got a visit from Lewis, Kobty and others with news of new menu items and a coming-soon Flavor Station in every cafeteria.

The Flavor Stations will be available to students every day and include a variety of seasonings highlighted by Kobty鈥檚 famous .

鈥淚鈥檓 bringing my Prince Lebanese Grill shawarma seasoning,鈥� Kobty said. 鈥淭o bring this shawarma seasoning that鈥檚 kind of put my family鈥檚 restaurant on the map 鈥� bring it to the schools where they can add it to whatever item they want, whether it鈥檚 squash, zucchini, French fries, Mediterranean chicken 鈥� bringing that to the school is really exciting.鈥�

Among the items the Martin students got to sample were several new vegetarian options, which hit cafeterias today for National Hug a Vegetarian Day. Two of the items 鈥� a veggie wrap and fried rice 鈥� were developed right there by Martin students.

It鈥檚 all about giving students the best possible lunches 鈥� lunches that are nutritious and that they actually want to eat.

鈥淚f lunch is better, kids are more focused in school and able to perform better,鈥� Kobty said. 鈥淪eeing how passionate they are about making delicious food has got me all riled up.鈥�

Thank you, food services

School lunch. Sounds simple, right?

Wrong. Not when you鈥檙e serving millions of meals a year. And it鈥檚 not just lunch. There is breakfast for thousands every day, too.

Food and nutrition services in the 91制片厂 is a massive operation run by a dedicated team of professionals. How massive? Consider these stats:

• 8.5 million meals will be served this year
• 500 employees on the food services team
• 75 feeding locations
• 150 lunch entrees in rotation
• 339,500 gallons of milk served so far this year
• 1,000+ miles per week driven by the warehouse team delivering food to schools
• 15,000 square feet of freezer space at the food and nutrition headquarters
• 185 points of sale

It鈥檚 a huge operation. But they have a secret ingredient.

鈥淥ur food and nutrition team truly serves with love. Love is their special ingredient that drives the dedication they show to each and every student,鈥� said 91制片厂 superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos. 鈥淲e know how important a nutritious meal is for students to be able to learn and thrive in the classroom. We鈥檙e so grateful for all of our food and nutrition services team members and the vital role they play in educating our students.鈥�

Food and nutrition services executive director David Lewis sets the tone. He brings that love and dedication every day and it permeates through his team and the entire district. They demonstrate that love by taking school lunch to a whole new level.

Lewis and his team aren鈥檛 content to just deliver food to hungry students. They are always working to optimize the breakfast and lunch experience and looking for new, healthy menu items. They even host taste tests for new menu items with students and encourage high school culinary students and local chefs to create new dishes for the district.

鈥淚 am proud to be on a team with such commitment and dedication to the children in our community,鈥� Lewis said to his department. 鈥淣o one shines brighter in your desire to bless every child. My words fall short in showing the appreciation worthy of your service 鈥� What a blessing you are.鈥�

It鈥檚 a blessing that doesn鈥檛 end because there鈥檚 no summer break for food services. When school lets out in a couple of weeks, they will transition into their summer feeding program, providing meals all summer long for any child who needs them.

Learn more about 91制片厂鈥檚 food and nutrition services at their webpage. You can also tour their facility .听

[iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FArlingtonISD%2Fvideos%2F150560004601424%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" title="See What鈥檚 Cooking at Martin High School!" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"]

Next Level Chef premiered after Super Bowl

You鈥檝e probably heard of former 91制片厂 student Preston Nguyen, the 19-year-old chef taking the culinary industry by storm. Well, now he鈥檚 taking his skills to new heights on Gordon Ramsay鈥檚 hit television show .

The show premiered Sunday after the Super Bowl, so Nguyen hosted a watch party with family and friends surrounding him for the special occasion. He even set up a tripod to film his initial reactions of seeing himself on television.

As soon as he was about to enter the scene, jaws dropped from everyone in the room as the TV froze. The whole room was filled with panic for a few seconds, but all was well once the TV was reset.

鈥淎ll I could think was 鈥榃ow, it鈥檚 actually happening now,鈥欌�� said Nguyen. 鈥淣ow that I鈥檓 able to slow down and see it from an outside perspective, I鈥檓 like 鈥榃ow, that鈥檚 really me on TV.鈥� If I win Next Level Chef, I may be the highest paid competition chef in the world, so I鈥檓 definitely expecting to win.

鈥淭hrough it all, I鈥檝e learned not to be afraid to take a step back and evaluate what you鈥檙e doing. Sometimes when you鈥檙e in the kitchen, you get flustered and you back yourself into a corner that you can鈥檛 recover from. Taking that extra second to really evaluate something and make adjustments is key.鈥�

When speaking about filming for the show, he had nothing but compliments for the cast and staff who he worked with.

鈥淭he whole experience, as well as getting to meet Gordon and all the mentors, was amazing,鈥� said Nguyen. 鈥淭he cast was super friendly, and we bonded pretty quickly. We still talk to one another every single day. It鈥檚 a nice, big competitive family.鈥�

Nguyen鈥檚 culinary career is taking off, and he has lots of upcoming travel planned since he鈥檚 the World Food Champion. In the meantime, you might be able to catch him at serving up Mediterranean cuisine to local families.

Next Level Chef airs every Thursday at 7 p.m. on FOX. If you need something to watch with your family tonight, tune in to Next Level Chef with Gordon Ramsay to check out one of 91制片厂鈥檚 finest in action.

Recipes are tasty and healthy听

Aziz Kobty wasn鈥檛 the healthiest eater when he was a student at Martin High School.

鈥淢artin High School had two Chick-fil-A sandwiches for five bucks and I would destroy that thing,鈥� Kobty said. 鈥淭hen the chicken tenders and the pizza. I wouldn鈥檛 eat healthy at all. Why would I do that when they had some of my favorite foods right there?鈥�

Kobty is no longer a student but is now a successful business owner of the popular . At a recent 91制片厂 school board meeting, he was approached by 91制片厂 director of food and nutrition services David Lewis.

Lewis wanted to know if Kobty would be interested in being the first business to be part of the By Students 4 Students lunch program at the district鈥檚 secondary schools.

Kobty jumped at the chance.

鈥淚鈥檓 hoping I can give them something different and fun that鈥檚 inspired by someone that was on the same path that they鈥檙e going through,鈥� said Kobty, who went to Dunn Elementary and Young Junior High before Martin. 鈥淢aybe that would give them a reason to try and eat healthy recipes.鈥�

The By Students 4 Students program debuted last year when the culinary students at Bowie High School created menu items that were featured at the school. Lewis wanted to expand the program to local businesses, and Prince Lebanese was a natural choice.

Getting from Kobty鈥檚 head to secondary campuses isn鈥檛 as easy as picking something off the Prince Lebanese menu and putting it in schools. All the ingredients must meet the district鈥檚 nutritional standards and must be available for the district to bid on, and the menu item must be able to be replicated in mass quantities at campuses for hungry teens to scarf down.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be different for me,鈥� Kobty said. 鈥淚 was very nervous when they told me there鈥檚 a salt limitation. I don鈥檛 want to do it wrong. I don鈥檛 know the restrictions. That was a little nerve-racking knowing I just can鈥檛 go cook. The processes are going to be super important. Consistency is going to be the key.鈥澨�

That鈥檚 why he spent an afternoon in the district鈥檚 test kitchen, working with ingredients and trying to come up with the perfect item. Kobty experimented with several items before settling on a wings recipe that will include vegetables. He鈥檚 also working on a chicken and rice recipe. The wings recipe is now going through the ultimate taste test 鈥� district students.

The wings are expected to make their debut at secondary campuses in the fall, and Lewis is hopeful the chicken and rice recipe is something that can be used districtwide.

Kobty is already looking to the future.

鈥淚f I can make something that鈥檚 edible and nice and I can put my name on it, then I鈥檇 like to bring some friends in from the industry that are also Arlington grads and let them be a part of this program,鈥� he said.

National School Lunch Week

91制片厂 is known for being innovative, and it proves it time and again, from the classroom to the cafeteria. And sometimes, the innovation comes from both working together. That was proved this week with the launch of a new dish to highlight National School Lunch Week.

raises awareness of the benefits of healthy school meals. It鈥檚 usually celebrated Oct. 11-14, but due to the student and staff holiday that week, 91制片厂 decided to honor it Oct. 17-21.

And while other districts may have celebrated with activity sheets and themed dress up days, 91制片厂 celebrated by adding flavors, spices and love to school menus. What better way to add some flavor than by launching a new menu item, the chicken carnita bowl. The dish is packed with flavor with Mexican rice, shredded chicken carnita meat and flame-roasted pineapple and red pepper blend.

The new menu item was inspired in the classroom by Amberly Craven鈥檚 culinary students at Bowie High School, who created multiple meals to be taste-tested by 91制片厂 superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos and Bowie staff last spring. After the food tasting, the 鈥淏y Students for Students鈥� concept was created to give culinary students a chance to create fresh, exciting recipes for high school cafeterias across the district.

鈥淗aving nutrition and learning constantly intertwined is important for the district and the students it serves,鈥� said district nutritionist Lorin Cheung.

The concept of 鈥淏y Students for Students鈥� doesn鈥檛 just mean current students either. The motto applies to former students, too, like Aziz and Elizabeth Kobty, who own and operate their family鈥檚 restaurant, .

[iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FArlingtonISD%2Fvideos%2F665986798169511%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" title="91制片厂 Students Can Experience Nutritious Meals and Culinary Delights at Lunch! Facebook Live" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true">]

鈥淚t鈥檚 amazing to be able to give students the opportunity for culinary experience and education because those things are important to our family,鈥� said Aziz Kobty. 鈥淲hen Mr. Lewis presented this opportunity to us, we couldn鈥檛 say no. We love making school lunch fun and can鈥檛 wait to share delicious food with the kids.鈥�

The Kobtys have been a community partner by implementing a chef practicum program and local hospitality scholarship for 91制片厂 students. The Kobty family partnership will continue with healthy Mediterranean-inspired dishes in district cafeterias.

Sam Houston High School students in Ronda Sherrill鈥檚 culinary class have a couple new menu items hitting the cafeteria soon, too.

鈥淵ou鈥檙e not going to be able to learn unless you鈥檙e fed,鈥� said David Lewis, director of food and nutrition services. 鈥淚t鈥檚 critical to bring awareness to what our district is serving kids in the cafeteria to help them succeed.鈥�

For a glimpse into the kitchen with Lewis and the Kobtys, check out the Facebook Live video .

Ask and it shall be given.

Culinary with Amber Craven

The saying is true for Amber Craven鈥檚 culinary arts class at . You might remember them from May when the class hosted a taste testing for 91制片厂 Superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos and food and nutrition services director David Lewis.

Now, their delicious recipes are in the cafeteria at Bowie and every high school in the district.

What鈥檚 on the menu, you ask? A blackened chicken mozzarella po-boy with lettuce, tomatoes, mayonnaise and all the fixings you could think of.

And just in case you were wondering if the meal was good, the sandwich sold out at Bowie鈥檚 lunch the day it was introduced to students. The staff prepared 180 sandwiches, and every one of them ended up in a hungry high school student鈥檚 belly.

鈥淚 feel empowered,鈥� said senior Emily Omweri. 鈥淚f we keep making changes like this in school, I feel like more students will stay on campus for lunch, and we won鈥檛 need to go out to get good food.鈥�

More menu items to come include fried chicken and waffles and a breakfast wrap. The food and nutrition services department even added signage to every food item served in the cafeteria to upgrade the students鈥� dining experience.

鈥淎s a teacher, this lets me know that I鈥檓 hitting the mark,鈥� said Craven. 鈥淚t makes me feel good to know that my students had an idea, brought it together and executed it. To have Mr. Lewis put it on the line and make it come to life is surreal.鈥�

In 91制片厂, all it takes is one question to spark change. In this case, Bowie students know it can lead to better food options in the cafeteria. Where will your curiosity and creativity lead you?

Join our Food and Nutrition Services team! The benefits of working in 91制片厂 as a nutrition services professional include FREE job training as well as compensation for participating in training with an additional stipend of up to 40 cents more an hour for successfully passing your training courses. If you attend one of our in-person interviews, are offered a position and accept, you could receive up to a $1,200 a year bonus based on attendance.

In-person interviews will take place:
Monday through Thursday
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
June 20 through August 3
We will have staff onsite to hep with the online application. Please bring contact information for three work-related references, including current and/or most recent supervisors. Be prepared to share your work history. If you are applying for a manager position, bring a copy of your resume.
Interviews will be at:
Food and Nutrition Services
1206 W. Arkansas Lane
Arlington, 76013

Summer meals

This summer, 91制片厂 will connect children 18 and younger and enrolled students with disabilities up to 21 years old with healthy, no-cost summer meals. The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) is a U.S. Department of Agriculture nutrition program administered in the Lone Star State by the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA). For the children who rely on school meals during the academic year, these meals offer a source of good nutrition when school is out for the long summer vacation.

Arlington鈥檚 children need good nutrition year-round so they can learn, grow and succeed in life. With nearly 2 million food-insecure children living in Texas, these healthy meals are vital to nourishing young Texans during the summer vacation.

91制片厂 is one of the nonprofit organizations partnering with TDA to serve meals across Texas. Families are encouraged to use these three tools to find a meal site anywhere in the state:

• Call 2-1-1 to speak to a live operator
• Visit for an interactive site locator map
• Text FOOD or COMIDA to 304-304

Organizations partner with TDA to serve meals in areas where more than 50% of children are eligible for free or reduced-price meals in the National School Lunch Program. Eligible sponsoring organizations include schools, faith-based groups, nonprofit summer camps, government agencies and other tax-exempt organizations. All meal sites must be sponsored by an organization that has a contract with TDA.

Summer meal sites help children succeed by providing the nourishment they need to return to school in the fall ready to thrive.

This organization is an equal opportunity provider.

Learn more about 91制片厂's food and nutrition services.

There鈥檚 an old saying that goes, 鈥淚f you can鈥檛 stand the heat, stay out of the kitchen.鈥� Well, culinary students at Bowie High School are heating things up, but they can handle it. The budding chefs have created some special recipes that will be featured on district lunch menus this fall.

Led by culinary teacher Amber Craven, the students formed teams to create five new, delectable recipes. The entrees included a chicken po-boy, breakfast wrap, Southwest fajita bowl, fiesta scrambled eggs and chicken and waffles. In partnership with the food and nutrition services department, each recipe was created with food straight off the shelves of the district's food pantry.

Taste Testing

After coming up with the recipes, the class hosted a food tasting with superintendent Dr. Marcelo Cavazos, food and nutrition services director David Lewis and Bowie principal Reny Lizardo.

鈥淢y students were tasting new menu items that were released this year, and they thought 鈥榃e could do this,鈥欌�� said Craven. 鈥淚 encouraged them, and it was simply an idea to Mr. Lewis, but now I鈥檓 excited to see it all come to life.鈥�

More than fun

Some of the students thought the project was just fun and games. For others, it made them more comfortable cooking at home. For sophomore Estrella Flores, it was love at first bite.

鈥淚 love this class because you get to learn what it鈥檚 like to work in a kitchen plus you get to see what you might want to do in the future,鈥� said Flores. 鈥淧ersonally, I鈥檇 like to become a chef, so this is a great start to my journey.鈥�

Flores and a few of her peers intend to enroll in the culinary program at the Dan Dipert Career and Technical Center, so Craven鈥檚 introductory class has given them a taste of what it takes to become a chef.

Stepping it up

A special group of 91制片厂 alumni restaurant owners will also have a unique chance to add some dishes to the menus next school year. Local restaurants like , The and more will have the opportunity to inspire dishes with ingredients presented by the food and nutrition services department. In a nutshell, school menus are stepping it up a notch.

鈥淲e want everything on our menu to be student-driven,鈥� said Lewis. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait until the food they have created comes off the line next year. When students are actually eating it at lunch, I know it鈥檒l be a fantastic day.鈥�

Nothing brings people together like good food, and the culinary students are teaming up to ensure the Bowie community and all others can enjoy delicious, nutritious meals in the cafeteria every single day. Bon app茅tit!

https://www.facebook.com/ArlingtonISD/videos/679957753267968/

Jones Academy of Fine Arts and Dual Language has lots of great spaces 鈥� a dance room, piano lab, STEM labs, music rooms, art rooms, multiple collaboration spaces and a new gym.

But it needed one more thing. A bigger kitchen.

Now, thanks to the 2019 Bond, Jones has exactly that.

It was a long process though. They first gutted the old kitchen and then built an addition adjacent to it. During construction, the Jones food service staff couldn鈥檛 cook on campus. They had to cook at the food and nutrition services building on Arkansas Lane. They then transported the food to Jones three times a day.

It was a lot of work, but the finished product made it worth it. The new, modern kitchen has new serving lines and more space and better equipment for preparing and serving food to students.

鈥淭he new kitchen at Jones Academy is just WOW!鈥� said Marti Beasley, the 91制片厂 food services supervisor for the Lamar area. 鈥淭he cafeteria employees love it. They are so happy to be able to cook in their own kitchen and serve the students. Blanca Garza and her staff do a great job welcoming students in the cafeteria and serving them their meals, which makes an environment the students can enjoy.鈥�

Jones鈥� students and staff are grateful for the new kitchen, too.

鈥淲e are very excited for the new kitchen addition,鈥� said Jones principal Katiuska Herrador.听鈥淚t has created more food preparation space and better efficiency for the kitchen's work.听The fresh, slick look matches our school's brightness and vibrancy. Our students and kitchen staff are so happy.鈥�

The End

As the 2019 Bond project at Jones wraps up, it marks the end of years of construction at the school. It started with the 2014 Bond and a听complete renovation听of the interior to provide spaces that support the fine arts and dual language programming. Then a听16,840 square-foot addition听with classrooms and a new gymnasium gave the growing school much needed space.

Finally, the 2019 Bond brought the kitchen addition and a new digital marquee. Plus, last summer, the sidewalks, drives and parking lots were redone with new concrete, and the pod classroom building was renovated with new flooring, paint and finishes.

If you want to get your career cooking, then the 91制片厂 has the job for you.

The food and nutrition services department is hosting a job fair this Saturday, April 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. as the district looks to fill vacancies. The job fair will be at our food and nutrition services office at .

The district is looking for full and part-time food service specialists, food service leads and more.

鈥淥ur team plays a vital role in the education process by helping to make sure students are ready to learn,鈥� said David Lewis, 91制片厂鈥檚 director of food and nutrition services. 鈥淲e are looking to grow our team with team members who have a spirit of service and who are passionate about the well-being of children in our community.鈥�

So, what do you need to be able to join our team Saturday?

• Valid form of identification
• Copy of work history
• Three work references (one from present employer or immediate past employer, no family references)

The district will conduct interviews at the job fair, and it鈥檚 possible to leave the event with a job offer. You can register for the job fair by calling 682-867-7880. Walk-ins are also welcome. You can get cooking early and apply online before coming to the event at .

Amos Elementary fourth-grader Parker knows what he likes when it comes to food.

鈥淭he French fries were too spicy,鈥� Parker said. 鈥淭he other two were too bland. They tasted just like potatoes.鈥�

Classmate Jose is also a food critic of sorts. He was rather vocal when it comes to nacho cheese.

鈥淭he one that鈥檚 blue is too chunky,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he green one was way better.鈥�

What are the students talking about?

Potential lunch options for the 91制片厂 in the future.

The fourth graders from Amos are just one of the schools that recently visited the food and nutrition services building to give their opinions on the kind of food that鈥檚 on the menu for school lunches.

Chicken patties to broccoli

[iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FArlingtonISD%2Fvideos%2F991941161696318%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" title="Two Thumbs Up Facebook Live" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"]

The school field trip was the idea of food and nutrition services director David Lewis, who heard some students鈥� opinions when he was visiting a campus.

With the district in the process of bidding out food for the upcoming school year, Lewis wanted to give students a chance to play a role in the process. That鈥檚 why schools like Amos made the trip. Amos students took taste tests on everything from chicken patties to nacho cheese. Plus, they got to tour the building and get a lesson on nutrition. They even ate broccoli!

While adults may hold back on their opinions, that鈥檚 not the case with students. There was a wall for them to say what they like, what they don鈥檛 like and what they鈥檇 like to see.

It鈥檚 all valuable input for Lewis.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e helping us with our bid,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淲e get samples from various manufacturers and then we have to compare them to decide what we want to serve. They鈥檙e making that decision for us. They give us lots of different ideas, things they like and things they have at school that have to go. We want to know what they鈥檙e eating at home, what they鈥檙e eating at restaurants.鈥�

The students aren鈥檛 the only ones participating in the field trip, either. Teachers get to voice their opinions, too. They love the idea that students get to have a voice.

鈥淭heir feedback matters,鈥� said Amos teacher Kara Reyna. 鈥淭hey have been so excited about this trip. This is a real-world opportunity to see how their opinion matters.鈥�

If opinions matter, then Jose has a hot one he wanted to share. His favorite restaurant is Olive Garden and his favorite food is lasagna. While he enjoys eating out, he鈥檚 also a big fan of the lasagna students get at school. He hopes there are no changes to that menu item.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really good,鈥� he said. 鈥淓ven the teachers eat the lasagna.鈥�

91制片厂 parents and guardians have until Jan. 31 to request a review of their pandemic-electronic benefit transfer (P-EBT) benefits for the 2020-21 school year.

To qualify for 2020-21 school year P-EBT benefits, applications had to be submitted through and children had to meet criteria to be eligible.

If a parent or caregiver wants to know why their child did not receive 2020-21 school year P-EBT benefits, they can call the P-EBT call center at 833-442-1255 and ask for a request for review.

The deadline to request a review for the P-EBT summer benefit is Feb. 28. To qualify for the summer P-EBT benefits, children had to meet certain criteria to be eligible.

To find out why your child did not qualify for that benefit, you can call the same number at 833-442-1255 and ask for a request for review.

91制片厂 is committed to growing whole and well-rounded young adults who are prepared to excel in college, career and beyond. The district鈥檚 mission is that every one of its more than 57,000 students will graduate exceptionally prepared for college, career and citizenship. With top educators, an outstanding core curriculum, a growing number of specialized programs and state-of-the-art facilities, the opportunities for all students from pre-K through high school are endless.

If you pay any attention to the news 鈥� or go to the grocery store 鈥� you know about the widescale supply chain issues across the country. Unfortunately, 91制片厂 is not immune, and the district鈥檚 food and nutrition services department has been especially hard hit.

91制片厂鈥檚 food and nutrition services department runs a massive operation, feeding breakfast and lunch to thousands of students each day. As shipments of food and non-food items, like trays and cutlery, have been delayed or are simply not coming, the district鈥檚 food service team has had to make adjustments and work long hours to make sure every student gets fed.

David Lewis, 91制片厂鈥檚 director of food and nutrition services, wants to make sure that students and parents are aware of the issue and understand that some of their meals may look a little different than in the past. But he also wants to assure everyone that the district is doing everything it can to provide every student with breakfast and lunch no matter what.

鈥淲e are still providing healthy, nutritious meals, and we will continue to do that,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淚t might just look a little different.鈥�

Lewis is confident they will handle every issue, but he is transparent about the challenges they face. They are dealing with many purchased orders that are delayed or simply not coming. Vendors keep pushing back delivery dates or even canceling orders altogether.

For example, the district ordered 450 cases of sliced beef. Eleven have been delivered. 300 cases of green beans were ordered. Eight have come in.

Non-food items are a problem, too. The district ordered 8,064 packs of trays (each pack has 500 trays) and none have come in. The standard cutlery packets are not available anymore either, forcing the district to improvise.

To make matters worse, the food and nutrition services department is also dealing with another nationwide challenge 鈥� a shortage of workers. With 167 open positions, the district recently upped the starting pay for food service workers.

All of this is adding up to significant changes in the cafeteria. A few of the changes students can expect include:

• Cutlery 鈥� While some other school districts are starting to serve only finger foods as they struggle to get cutlery, Lewis feels confident they have a solution. As the district鈥檚 standard cutlery packet is no longer available, they are moving to individual items. Instead of a plastic bag with every item in it, students will just pick up what they need: an individual fork, a napkin, etc.
• Food items may change 鈥� Some of the standards are changing, even items like burgers and pizza. The district has had to find new vendors and sometimes new products. Students will likely still see those items, but they may just look and taste a little different.
• Menu changes 鈥� Typically the food and nutrition services team publishes monthly menus but has now been forced to issue menus just one week at a time. And even the weekly menus may change on a daily basis based on what supplies the district has each day.
• Changing breakfast menu 鈥� With a shortage of trays, the breakfast menu is being changed so that no tray will be required.
• Fewer choices 鈥� There are fewer entr茅e choices right now. In 2019-2020, high school menus included 16 entrees. Now, there are three.
• Toast 鈥� There鈥檚 plenty of toast on the breakfast menu. Breads and buns have still been available in the quantities the district needs, but biscuits and muffins, which typically add variety to the breakfast menu, are not available.
• Thanksgiving 鈥� Due to the shortages, school cafeterias will unfortunately not get to serve the annual Thanksgiving meal this year.

Even with the changes and fewer options, the district has no plans to serve any fewer meals. Lewis and his team meet daily to assess supplies and plan menus according to what they have. A purchasing team spends their days scouring the market to buy food and non-food items. And the food services team will open their loading dock any time a truck can deliver, even if it鈥檚 a weekend day or the middle of the night.

鈥淲e鈥檙e a versatile, strong team,鈥� said Lorin Cheung, 91制片厂 nutrition coordinator, 鈥渁nd we are exploring options outside the box.鈥�

Lewis explained that the food service teams at each school are facing some of the biggest challenges.

鈥淲ith every change, it makes planning and prepping harder at the campus level,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淭he challenges are magnified at the campus level as the menus change, and often schools get food and supplies only one day in advance.鈥�

Lewis urged patience and asked for understanding.

鈥淥ur campus staff are working incredibly hard to make sure every student who wants a meal is fed. Please be patient with them.鈥�

Ask David Lewis, the director of 91制片厂鈥檚 food and nutrition services, what he likes best about the newly renovated food and nutrition services building, and it might not be a quick conversation. He has a whole list.

That鈥檚 because the improvements to the district鈥檚 food headquarters on Arkansas Lane, funded by the 2019 Bond, are significant and were badly needed. The project 鈥� a complete renovation of the building and the addition of a new freezer 鈥� required the food and nutrition services staff to vacate their building at the end of 2019 and take up temporary residence at another district building during construction.

The temporary displacement was well worth it. The renovations are now complete, and the staff moved back into their home building this spring. But it doesn鈥檛 look much like their old building anymore. It has a completely new look and feel inside.

It鈥檚 a look and feel strategically designed to meet the needs of the department. The right facilities for a feeding operation the size of 91制片厂鈥檚 is critical. They provide 37,500 lunches on average each school day. Plus, they feed breakfast to thousands on a daily basis and cater many district training meetings and events. And it doesn鈥檛 stop in the summer, as they offer free breakfast and lunch to anyone 18 and under.

鈥淚n 2018-2019, the year before COVID-19, we served 9.96 million meals,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淎nd we can expect numbers like that again this coming school year.鈥�

91制片厂鈥檚 food and nutrition department now has the right facilities to do this, thanks to the support of our community through the 2019 Bond. Here are nine of the top improvements that Lewis and his team are most excited about:

1) Parent engagement area

Thousands of parents come through the food and nutrition services building every year to apply for meal benefits and handle issues related to breakfast and lunch for their children. The building鈥檚 new parent engagement room, just off the front desk area, includes computers the parents can use to apply for benefits.

Prior to the renovations, the building did not have an area like this. During the first few months of the school year 鈥� when 10-15,000 parents come in 鈥� the conference room was used for parents, rendering it unusable for the department for about four months.

Yesenia Chairez 鈥� described by Lewis as the face of food services 鈥� is thrilled with the new area. She greets and assists all the parents who come in and makes it her personal mission to make sure everyone gets the help and support they need.

鈥淏eing able to help the parents right here is so much better,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e all together here and I have easy and quick access to help them.鈥�

2) Conference room

When the old conference room wasn鈥檛 occupied by visiting parents, it was used for training and meetings. But it could only hold about 40 people.

The new conference room can hold 110, the number of managers and leads in the department. The room is perfect for training as it opens up to the new catering kitchen, which includes the exact kitchen equipment used at schools.

The conference room is also available to the entire district. It includes its own entrance and restrooms for easy access to other district departments.

3) Kitchen

The conference room opens up to the new kitchen for training and demonstrations, but the kitchen is also used for catering district meetings and events.

鈥淭he renovated catering kitchen is a dramatic improvement over the old, smaller kitchen, which was on two levels,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淣ow on one level, chefs don鈥檛 have to go up and down stairs to navigate the entire space.鈥�

Plus, the kitchen has a new loading dock, perfect for transporting food to campuses and district events.

4) Freezer

A new 7,400 square-foot freezer addition has five tiers of shelving and keeps the temperature between -5 to -10 degrees Fahrenheit. It replaced three old, less-efficient freezers, and has more space than those three old freezers combined.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 miss them,鈥� Kevin Burgess, the maintenance coordinator for food and nutrition services, said about the old freezers. 鈥淭hank you for the bond!鈥�

5) New offices

The renovations created a new floorplan that includes offices for each of the six food and nutrition area supervisors. They previously all worked together in one room. As the supervisors have busy jobs with lots of phone calls and coordination throughout the day, having their own space is more efficient and effective.

6) Parking lot

The parking lot is still in the same place, but it was redone with new concrete.

鈥淭he drainage was so bad it used to be a river when it rained,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淭hey completely fixed everything. To our team, it鈥檚 huge.鈥�

7) IT Suite听听听听听听

With 500 points of sale across the district, 200 digital menu boards, about 300 security cameras, dozens of computers and multiple software solutions, the food and nutrition services IT team runs a huge operation. Their new IT office suite gives them the space they need to ensure everything runs as planned each and every day.

8) Break room

The new staff break room might not seem like a big deal at first glance. It鈥檚 a typical break room. But it鈥檚 a huge improvement over what they had before because it has much more space. The old break room was so tiny that only one person could fit in it at any one time.

9) Front-entrance security vestibule

Security for the staff and parents who visit is of utmost importance. The new security vestibule at the front entrance allows Chairez at the front desk to see who is coming to the door and control their access.

鈥淲e鈥檙e really thrilled with all the renovations,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淭hese upgrades allow us to be more efficient in providing services to our students and families and enables us to take better care of our team,鈥� Lewis said. 鈥淲e are really going to benefit from this.鈥�