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Order up! Washougal students learn career skills while creating operational food cart

Washougal High School culinary arts students stand in front of their food cart, the Shoug Shack, that they opened on Feb. 2, 2023. Photo courtesy Washougal School District

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Students from Washougal High School are learning about business management, restaurant operation and teamwork as they run a fully-functional food cart. 

The Washougal School District celebrated the new food cart, called Shoug Shack, Thursday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. At the event, culinary arts students served chili and refreshments out of the food cart. 

Riley Harding was one of 23 Washougal High School students involved in developing the food truck and deciding how it would operate. She said the students created and tested chili recipes to prepare for the launch. 

All of the recipes were developed by students. 

“Having the food truck is an opportunity for us to gain real business experience in the culinary industry. It lets us put our classroom skills to work in a real business and gives us a leg up when heading out into the world of work,” Harding said. 

Students in career and technical education programs at Washougal High School applied what they learned in the classroom to plan and prepare for the student-run food truck. 

“This student-run food cart is one example of our dedication to bring job-readiness skills to classroom learning,” said Washougal School District Superintendent Mary Templeton. 

Templeton attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony along with Career & Technical Education Director Margaret Rice and Mayor David Stuebe. 

The Shoug Shack will be used as an extension of the advanced culinary classroom and students will occasionally create and serve meals out of it in collaboration with Washougal School District Culinary Services during lunchtimes at schools throughout the district. 

In the future, students will also have opportunities to serve items out of the food truck at community events.