Another Sweet Success At San Pedro High School's After School Cooking Club Thanks to the Coastal Neighborhood Council's Support

Students excitedly slice and dice to prepare for the dish -- which students said was delicious.

 Teacher Sally Leonhart gives students directions to make curry.

This is truly about how a Neighborhood Council can aide a school in need. Three years ago, San Pedro High School's culinary program was sliced from the cutting board due to budget cuts.

One of the most popular classes -- with hundreds on the waiting list -- was lost. It once provided a most important life skill to students -- how to cook.

The Coastal Neighborhood Council provided $1,000 for the year to keep an after school cooking club going. It was launched this year first by Jeanette Stevens, the principal, who taught students how to bake holiday pies. Other teachers have followed suit, including Sally Leonhart.
Leonhart showed her students how to cook South Indian Style Vegetable Curry which packed the room.
Several said the curry was some of the best they ever tasted and that they enjoyed learning from one of the high school teachers.
Next on the January Menu, Italian Teacher Ida Lanza plans to show students how to cook pasta from scratch.

     The club attracted a lot of boys, some of whom said they wanted to learn how to cook before they leave for college.