Bay Path students to compete in ‘Fork it Over’ fundraiser

Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More

Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More

CHARLTON, Mass. – Competition is heating up at Bay Path Regional Vocational Technical High School as a group of students prepare dishes for the Girl Scouts’ annual ‘Fork it Over’ fundraiser.

Nine students in two teams will bring their talents to the competition, which requires teams to use Girl Scout cookies in their recipes.

Amanda Seidler, a senior in Bay Path’s culinary arts program, is no stranger to competing against professionals. At last year’s ‘Fork it Over,’ she lead a team of fellow students in creating savory sautéed chicken and sweet coconut rice.

This year, she’s back with something on the sweeter side – graham cracker crepe with chocolate mousse and toasted marshmallow glaze.

“I definitely learned that time management is really important, and to make something that’s easy to just have it together when you get there, instead of scrambling,” Seidler said. “This, it will travel a lot better, and it will ultimately, in my opinion, probably taste the best.”

Seidler’s team spent time after school this week carefully scraping cookie fillings from an entire box of Girl Scout S’mores. Bay Path’s other team, meanwhile, was hard at work making coconut shrimp and spicy peanut chicken skewers, using Tagalong and Samoa cookies to bring it all together.

“I’m excited to be able to compete, put myself in a less comfortable situation,” said Felix Menard. “I don’t have much experience in this specific area, but I love Samoa cookies. They’re my favorite cookies, so I decided that I wanted to base our meal off of that. I just learned how to devein shrimp when we started this project, so I’m learning along the way.”

And learning along the way is part of the experience for these students. Joseph Mancini isn’t in Bay Path’s culinary program, but the health tech student joined the after school club because of his family’s fondness for cooking.

“My grandma taught me how to bake when I was young, and I’ve loved cooking ever since,” Mancini said. “When I found out there was a culinary club specifically for that, I figured I couldn’t miss it. I definitely think it will be a challenge, but I am looking forward to the experience as well. Seeing all the different chefs and seeing how we as a school compare to those high level restaurants will be a very remarkable experience overall.”

‘Fork it Over’ will take place on May 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the recently opened Top of the Tower venue space at the Glass Tower in Worcester. Tickets are $60 per person and proceeds benefit the Girl Scouts. Tickets are available here, or by calling (508)-365-0115.

Sponsors include Saint-Gobain, The Hanover Insurance Group, Women’s Initiative-United Way of Central MA, Country Bank, UMass Chan Medical School, Central One Credit Union, Middlesex Savings Bank, Cornerstone Bank, Tinsley Financial Group, CSR Financial, Fallon Health, Stowe & Degon, St. Mary’s Credit Union, Main Street Bank, Leominster Credit Union and Synergy.