By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
An "Encore Team" consisting of students from special elective classes such as life skills, technology, computers, Spanish and art is continuing to collect Hurricane Katrina relief donations because those teachers reach almost every student in Dowagiac Middle School.
Additional money for Hurricane Katrina victims is being generated by bake sales at lunch time and after school.
Eighteen students stayed after school Wednesday to bake cookies (25 cents each, three for 50 cents), brownies (50 cents) and cupcakes (50 cents).
Students are also standing by to assemble "comfort kits" for Red Cross, but Berrien County is suddenly so saturated with volunteers that their help may no longer be needed.
Next month, beginning Oct. 24, students are going to be learning about food service for large groups of people in cooperation with Jay Brackensick, the food service director for Sodexho.
Her students toured the cafeteria of the new middle school.
There were three dishwashing stations - wash, rinse and sanitize - Matt Collins said. Students sanitize their dishes with a capful of bleach.
They observed how yellow mats prevent falls after a spill in the big kitchen and saw the "prep sink" for fruit and vegetables- but not to wash hands to prevent spreading germs, Danielle Taylor said.