Partnership gives students sweet experience
Thursday, Feb. 14, 2008
What teenager doesn't love pizza and chocolate? So when an opportunity arose for students to combine both—and make a little money on the side—Eudora students were clamoring for a spot in the kitchen.
Amore Chocolate Co. manufactures and sells gourmet chocolate pizzas, the passion of owner Annette Cook and husband Chris. When the growing business relocated to Eudora last year, Cook started looking for some help. A twist of fate eventually led her to students enrolled in the culinary arts program through the Eudora-De Soto Technical Education Center, and the results have been sweet.
"When I first approached Mr. Gray," said, "I was feeling guilty about having interns who wouldn't be paid. But he was so excited to have an opportunity for students to be in a real kitchen and realize that it's not all about making chocolate. It's about merchandising, folding boxes, wrapping pizzas, putting doilies on plates, answering the phone, working the front—it's about running a business."
Gray added, "It's a fantastic opportunity for students. It's a chance to get experience that they can put on a resume, but also to experience first hand what it's like to be a producer in this industry."
To begin, Gray offered to his students the chance to intern at Amore. More than a dozen students signed up and began spending one class period each week working for Cook. It was an opportunity for students to get real-world culinary experience, Gray said, and an opportunity for Cook to look for top prospects that she would want to hire on a permanent basis.
After a few weeks of working with the interns, Cook extended part-time job offers to two of the interns, Eudora High School seniors Krista Beedle and Ashley Ingwerson. Both Beedle and Ingwerson impressed Cook, she said, with their work ethic and their attitude.
Ingwerson said that the chance to intern was especially appealing. After all, she said, "I like chocolate." But the opportunity to be a part of the business was key, as well. Ingwerson grew up near her grandparents' lavender farm, outside Topeka, which thrives on agritourism and marketing its specialty products directly to the consumer.
"I love Amore," she said, "because I just like what they do. I grew up helping my grandparents with their farm, so I love the idea of being part of a small business like this. It's not about the money for me—I do it because I like it."
The student interns and workers are responsible for a variety of tasks, including producing the chocolate dipped "dirty" spoons and the chocolate and candy dipped pretzels. In order to meet the growing demand for their chocolate products, Cook has since hired one additional intern in a paid position.
"Right now they're learning to do what I do," Cook said. "I'm still the only one who makes the pizzas, but even that is something that I would like to train the right person or people to do at some point."
For Ingwerson, the opportunity is one she hopes will continue to grow. She plans to attend the University of Kansas business school this fall and eventually run a small business of her own.
"The chance to work at Amore has been a rewarding experience," she said. "The atmosphere is great—Chris and Annette treat the workers like family, and they really take care of you. I hope to stay on as long as I can."
