CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The Wetzel County Technical Education Center is taking home the Culineering Challenge championship for the second consecutive year.
Career and Technical Education (CTE) Students from nine counties competed Wednesday in the fifth annual event hosted by West Virginia Department of Education in Charleston at the newly named Vandalia Health Center. The event is based on the Netflix series Baking Impossible. This year’s competition featured a “Crash Test Yummy” theme, where CTE students were tasked with building an edible “crash test dummy,” each project drawing inspiration from a different West Virginia State Park, to use on a crash course.
As part of their first-place finish, Wetzel County students earned a team trophy and a $5,000 classroom grant. Each student on the team also received $200 thanks to the West Virginia Hospitality and Travel Association Education Foundation. Wetzel County’s project was based on Beech Fork State Park.
Wheeling Park High School’s team came in second, while students from Monongalia County (Monongalia County Technical Education Center, University High School and Morgantown High School) earned third place. Those teams earned $3,000 and $2,000 classroom grants, respectively, and both were rewarded with a “custom-engraved” cutting board.
State Superintendent of Schools Michele Blatt praised the creativity showcased by the students.
“The Culineering Challenge is a phenomenal event, and it is one of the highlights of the year for our public schools,” Blatt said. “It illustrates the learning that is occurring in our CTE centers, and the industrious and creative problem-solving skills necessary for success. We are proud of our teams and the instructors who were dedicated to the hard work of the competition. We’re certain they will take this experience with them for years to come.”
While the competition took center stage, the process also included video and social media campaigns documenting the students’ work.
The “Best Video” award went to Spring Valley High School from Wayne County, Wheeling Park earned the “Best Social Media Campaign” honor, John Marshall High School from Marshall County created the “Best Flavor Collision Cake,” and Wetzel County Technical Education Center also claimed the “People’s Choice Award.”