Photos by Christian Lintan
Campus News
Religious Studies Student Teaches Little Chefs
W
hen professor Klaus Irrgang gave Askim Chundu the choice of writing a term paper for his Principles of Nutrition class or leading the Little Chefs program in the nearby town of Bentley, Askim didn’t have to debate long. That was back in February 2017. Since then, Askim has led Little Chefs three times, first for a class assignment, then for himself.
Little Chefs’ Comments I love this class. What are we making today? My best after school school! We make awesome food, right? Taking turns is hard. Can I come next time too? My grandpa always asks if I saved him some to try.
to the high school. They came to have fun. They had circle time, passed the “talking ball” around, and listened as each told how the week had gone. They read a story from The 7 Habits of Happy Kids (by Sean Covey) and discussed the social skills it presented. They played games. They worked on crafts. They tied their aprons and cooked.
They made banana muffins, personal pizzas (with English That first year, Askim, muffins), pancakes, a religious studies a fruit salad, and major in his freshman Askim the storyteller is just as popular with his students as is cookies. They even year, found himself Askim the chef! made a frog cake by writing lesson plans, pouring batter into a frog-shaped pan, deciding on recipes, planning games baking it, and decorating it with green and crafts, finding stories with a social icing. All were recipes they could make learning component, shopping for under adult supervision at home. groceries, and driving 30 kilometers west of Lacombe twice a week for Askim reports, “Together we stood six weeks to meet with 10 first- and around a table making these recipes, second-graders for a popular aftersometimes taking turns pouring school program called Little Chefs— ingredients into a bowl, sometimes one that always has a waiting list. holding the electric mixer. For the fruit salad all the kids actually cut the The Bentley Seventh-day Adventist fruit—with butter knives, of course. Church partners with the Town of As we worked, I told them about Bentley, Burman University, and the ingredients and explained what’s Bentley High School to run Little Chefs. required of a chef.” Karen Baumbach (HS ‘75), a local farmer, and Barb Carson from Bentley’s Now in his senior year, Askim has Family and Community Support decided that he likes working with Services (FCSS) supervise, assist, kids. He laughingly admits, “I feed off and support. The high school lends their energy and become a kid again.” its food lab space. Middle and high He is considering graduate work in school students volunteer. Askim was chaplaincy or even social work. His responsible for facilitating each session. religious studies major will remain the foundation for a career of service, but The 2020 program was changed to two his Principles of Nutrition class project hours once a week. So at 3:30 every has changed his approach. “God works Wednesday afternoon, the little ones in mysterious ways!” from the grade school crossed the street 17
