As Thanksgiving approaches, students in Franklin D. Roosevelt High School of Innovation’s culinary arts program are serving up more than delicious food; they’re serving the community.
Under the guidance of Cheryll Harris, a chef who leads the Culinary Arts Pathway, they prepare dinner and volunteer at community events each Thanksgiving season, continuing a long-standing Roosevelt tradition of giving back. “It takes several weeks of planning, organizing donations, and coordinating volunteers,” Harris said. “Prep has been busy but exciting as everyone works together to get everything ready.”
This year’s menu features classic Thanksgiving favorites, which were chosen based on both tradition and community requests. This year, the meals were prepared with a special event in mind: a community Thanksgiving dinner at Cedar Crest Community Center.
“The most rewarding part is seeing how grateful families are when they receive the meals,” Haris said.
A sophomore, Donita R., said her favorite dish to make is a staple and popular side dish.
“I like making cornbread because it’s easy to make,” she said.
Along with preparing meals for the Cedar Crest Community Center, culinary students volunteer at the annual H-E-B Feast of Sharing Thanksgiving gathering. Whether they’re stirring pots in the kitchen or serving plates, each student shares in the pride of carrying forward a Roosevelt tradition, one that celebrates food, service, and the heart of the holiday season.
The Culinary Arts Pathway at Roosevelt is part of Dallas ISD’s Career and Technical Education program.
Through hands-on experiences in professional kitchens and real-world events, students learn essential skills in food preparation, sanitation, and presentation. They also get to explore career options, including baker, chef, and nutritionist. The program emphasizes technical training and leadership development, preparing students for future careers, simply to be confident, creative cooks in their own communities.
Donita, who has been in the program for two years, said her favorite part about the program is seeing the results of the hard work and celebrating when the food turns out right.
She said the program builds on itself, and students will be well-rounded in the kitchen by the time they graduate high school.
“You get to learn about building up your soft skills in culinary, advancing to hard skills,” she said.
The deadline to apply to application-based schools like Roosevelt for the 2026-2027 school year is Jan. 31, 2026.
