St. Isidore students learn about baking and giving

Students at St. Isidore School in Bloomingdale were in for a real treat recently when representatives from King Arthur Flour Co. were on hand for an assembly for fourth- through eighth-graders to present and demonstrate its Life Skills Bread Baking Program.

St Isidore School counselor Trevor Simpson said the King Arthur Life Skills Bread Baking Program, themed “Learn, Bake, Share,” has dual benefits for students. First, it provides students with a fun, real-world application of skills they are learning in math, science, reading, creative problem-solving and others while they learn to bake bread. Second, it applies their newly acquired baking skills to benefit others in their community.

“It’s quite a program,” Simpson said. “This assembly provides our entire school community the opportunity to learn, bake and share, to participate in an event that serves others in a way that is fun, relevant and hands-on. Not only will they learn a life skill in baking, they will also be responsible for making and delivering bread to those that need it. What a wonderful way to share and contribute to the needy in their own community during the beginning of this holiday season.”

After a 50-minute presentation on the bread-baking process by King Arthur representatives, students were given two bags of King Arthur flour, a recipe booklet, Red Star yeast, a dough scraper, a bread donation bag, and bread baking know-how. Their subsequent assignment was to bake two loaves, keeping one for themselves and their family and bringing one back to school one week later to deliver to Bloomingdale Township Food Pantry, DuPage County PADS and Lutheran Church for the Master in Carol Stream.