getting ready to be official

[waltertore]

Hi all:  I am a special education teacher at the high school level.  I have been teaching developmentally delayed students life/vocational/skills via running working bakery type businesses out of my classroom.  I started this in Austin TX, then moved on to Sonoma County CA, and now central Ohio.  I was able to secure unused home economic kitchen classrooms in TX and CA.   My current classroom is in the brand  new high school.  I convinced the district to build my classroom as a commercial kitchen and they did!  It is 1,200 sq ft with all commercial ovens, mixers, etc.  Because we are up to current codes I am securing Bakery and Board of Health licenses.  We will be legal to sell to the public as a carry out cafe, supply markets, cafes, and cater functions.  This is a 20 year dream come true.   The universe must be with us because I scored a couple of 1976 Blodgett 1000 ovens a few months ago that should be hooked up in the next couple weeks.  We will be making pizzas/bagels/soft pretzels/breads, reminiscent of my NJ/NYC upbringing, in them.  My students will be working the entire school day learning entry level skills and hopefully will be in the 10% of their population that has full time employment as adults.  I have always wanted to open a restaurant and hire this population for entry/prep work but the thought of all the pressures involved with it have deterred me.  Now I have a space that 5 star places would die for and am on the school calendar schedule with no worries of finacial ruin.  I am good at the hands on end of food making/teaching but not in the administrative side.  I created this video on an inspiration to share what we are doing and to reach out for help. At the end it shows my students at work in the new kitchen.  Please feel free to share this with anyone you feel may have a talent that might be interested in our cause.  Thanks!  Walter
 

[thezaman]

hi walter were in ohio are you located?

[waltertore]

hi thezaman:  I work at Newark High School and live in Granville.  If you are close you are welcome to come and try out the ovens.  I need to work with them some before we go official.   I am off to California next week and hopefully the ovens will be connected to week of the 23rd.  Walter

[flyboy4ual]

Great job Walter!  The kids look like they are having a great time.

Scott D.

[waltertore]

Great job Walter!  The kids look like they are having a great time.

Scott D.

thanks Scott!  We all long for a meaningful life and this program provides it.   I am very proud of how far my students go beyond peoples expectations.  I have a great time too!   Our basketball team is always a good one and good crowds come out.  The athletic dept will be selling snacks out of our room during them and I think I will make pizzas and sell them by the slice and pie.  It will be great advertisment to the public.  I think I will give a flyer to each person that purchases something.    Walter

[Aimless Ryan]

Glad to hear you're almost ready to go, Walter. If you're gonna invite people over to break in the ovens, I hope I'm on the list.

[waltertore]

Ryan:  I just got back from a week in California.  I hope to have the ovens hooked up in a week or 2.  I will let you know when they are running.  Walter

[Aimless Ryan]

Cool, man. I intend to take a trip to Pittsburgh soon to check out PennMac and get a bunch of ingredients. If you need anything from there, let me know. (I probably won't go until after next week.)

[waltertore]

Cool, man. I intend to take a trip to Pittsburgh soon to check out PennMac and get a bunch of ingredients. If you need anything from there, let me know. (I probably won't go until after next week.)

thanks Ryan!  I am good for now-enjoy the trip!  Feel free to stop by if you are going by this way.  Walter

[waltertore]

We offically opened my special education class bakery (The Smiling With Hope Bakery)  in August and got 1 of the 2 blodgett 1000 ovens running last week.  I had to replace the safety valve and thermo coupler and fiddle with setting the thermostat.  We have run 2 batches of hand tossed NY style pizzas, and 1 of breads through it and it performed like a champ!  We are a licensed bakery in the state of ohio and have secured contracts with 2 school districts to make a few thousand items a week for their student cafeterias, several restraunts/cafes, and the county aging program (meals on wheels).  It has been a wild ride getting all this to fly in a school but we are there.  Anyone in the columbus area that wants to make some pizzas is welcome to come by.  Bring your dough  Walter

here is a little video from a newspaper article on our program
http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20120908/NEWS01/209080301/Smiling-Hope-Bakery-makes-difference-Newark-High-School-students

[Chicago Bob]

Simply wonderful Walter....faaaantastic man! I knew this would take off, well, I was keeping my fingers crossed.    Good things happen to good people....and your students look so diligent!  , wow, a beautiful thing bro. Congratulations!!

Bob

[waltertore]

Simply wonderful Walter....faaaantastic man! I knew this would take off, well, I was keeping my fingers crossed.    Good things happen to good people....and your students look so diligent!  , wow, a beautiful thing bro. Congratulations!!

Bob

thanks Bob!   We have the oven running great.  We cooked some french baquettes, Italian semolina, and sourdough breads in it today and just scored another big contract for several thousand cookies a week.  We have the GFS semi truck delivering to our door.  Life is good- my students are learning how to be independent and feel good about themselves.   Walter

[Cass]

This is wonderful! 

I was in social work more than 22 years, working with at risk and special needs kids. It was always a dream of mine to have a commercial kitchen on site, and to run a similar program.

I wish I were a bit closer, I would come and volunteer.

I know you have a lot on your plate right now, but you may want to consider the needs of your county CYS and MH/MR. There is a huge need for educating kids and adults on basic cooking/good nutrition. You may be able to secure a contract and offer after school or weekend programs to individuals involved with their services.

Good luck and keep us posted!   

[waltertore]

Thanks Cass!  Where do you live?  Who knows what the future holds.  For now we are running at capacity.  My students work from 7:30am- 2pm with a 40 minute lunch.  We make deliveries in a van I secured via a grant and between deliveries, shopping, banking, production of our baked goods, breads, pizzas, dog biscuits, catering events, our day flies by.  When the last bell rings I am all used up.  We have had a lot of inquiries about doing after school, weekend, and summer, events, but I have learned over the years I need to do my life to avoid burnout.   I believe we may be the only high school in the country that runs an all day commercial bakery for special needs students.  Here is a video from a recent newspaper article.   You can see the 2 blodgett 1000's.   These ovens are fun to work on, like an old car.  No electronics.  Just valves and pipe.  Our pizza's are by far the best in central ohio (if you like a NYC/Essex County NJ pizza).  Walter

http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20120908/NEWS01/209080301?nclick_check=1

[landras]

Fantastic job, all the best for you and the kids!

[waltertore]

Fantastic job, all the best for you and the kids!

thanks!

[JAG]

Very inspirational Walter, best of luck.

Pickerington resident,
John G.

[waltertore]

Very inspirational Walter, best of luck.

Pickerington resident,
John G.

thanks John!  If you ever want to make some pies on the vintage blodgetts some weekend let me know.  Walter