Some faculty at Newton-Conover High School got Thanksgiving dinner a little early this year, when students cooked a full spread Wednesday morning.
The Foods II class cooked pumpkin cream pies and chocolate cake on Tuesday and cleaned the turkeys, said Brenda Wilson, the Foods II instructor at Newton-Conover High School.
Senior Casey Burgess was one of the students assigned to cleaning the turkeys.
"It wasn't that bad," she said. "It was just messy and bloody."
On Wednesday, Burgess was one of the students who made gravy to go with the turkey. She melted butter in a Dutch oven before adding a few other ingredients, stirring to ensure they mixed well.
Other students in the class made macaroni and cheese, cooked green beans, made dressing with the cornbread the students made on Tuesday, made cranberry salad and made sure the turkeys that Wilson put in the oven early Wednesday morning finished cooking.
"The students have gone through a ServSafe Essentials (food safety) course and Food Manager Essentials course, so they've learned the proper temperature for foods, they know about food borne illnesses and know how to serve properly," Wilson said.
After they finished those courses, she felt they were ready to serve Thanksgiving dinner to the faculty and staff at Newton-Conover High School — a tradition the Foods II class has performed for several years.
"I send an e-mail to the faculty and invite them to eat, and they RSVP so we know how many to expect," Wilson said. "We have 40 orders."
Sophomore Ashley Williams said she signed up for the Foods I and II classes because she is interested in cooking professionally. Her aunt used to own her own restaurant in downtown Newton, and Williams said she was interested in doing that, as well.
"I think I want to do something like that," she said. "I love cooking."
Williams was in charge of cooking the macaroni and cheese Wednesday, something she is proficient at making. She said she cooks frequently at home, too.
Junior Sara Baggett made the pumpkin pies on Tuesday and frosted the chocolate cakes on Wednesday. She said making the desserts was pretty easy work.
Unlike Williams, though, Baggett took the foods class because she wanted to try something different.
"I thought it would be fun," she said.
Burgess said she hopes to go to school to become a chef and open her own business eventually.
Wilson said the staff looks forward to the students' Thanksgiving meal each year.
"I have faculty tell me they can't wait," Wilson said.
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