Revelstoke elementary students learn how to operate food trucks

Revelstoke got 24 new food trucks this year all owned by elementary students.

Grade six and seven students at Columbia Park Elementary constructed fit-on-a-book-shelf food trucks as part of a cross curriculum learning experience. Although the trucks are not real, the students went through the process of what it would be like opening and operating a food truck business.

“We got to really learn,” said Avery Cochrane, one of the students involved in the project.

The students made the trucks themselves, did surveys on what type of food would be of interest to customers, went to the grocery store to price out ingredients, calculate the price of making each food item and how much to charge to cover expenses and make a profit. The students also used coding programs to electrify the trucks to speak the menu, create a commercial and a musical jingle.

“We’ll definitely use these skills later on,” Cochrane said.

Cochrane and her business partner, Miya Voykin, calculated each cupcake would cost $2.53 to make. To make a profit and ensure they have gas for the truck, they settled on selling the cupcakes for $5.

“We also give you a better deal the more you buy,” said Cochrane.

A bakers dozen is $38.00.

The food trucks are quite varied, from Chinese to pizza. (Liam Harrap/Revelstoke Review)

The pair settled on selling cupcakes after surveying the class on what food tickled their fancies. However, deciding together was not easy. Originally, one wanted to sell frozen yogurt and the other slushies.

“It’s hard to compromise,” said Voykin.

But they did with cupcakes and both said they are still good friends.

“The possibilities are almost endless with cupcakes,” said Voykin and Cochrane nodded in agreement.

Columbia Park Elementary got a grant to help with the project, which included ten new laptops from Special Education Technology B.C., which is part of the Ministry of Education. The department provides assistive technologies for reading, writing and communication.

To use the grant, the classes had to make a project relating to financial literacy.

“We thought making food trucks would incorporate many different subjects,” said Tammy Tomm, teacher at Columbia Park Elementary.

Food truck owners, such as the Taco Club, met with the two classes to get the creative juices flowing.

Teachers Tracey Hill and Tammy Tomm applied for a grant from SET-BC to help fund the project. They wanted to do a project where the students would learn skills "for the real world." (Liam Harrap/Revelstoke Review)

They even watched the show Food Truck Wars.

“We wanted to do a project that would relate to real life,” said Tracey Hill, the other teacher involved in the project.

Even though some of the students are not prospective entrepreneurs, the project still taught skills needed in many professions, such as creativity and problemsolving.

“We wanted to engage all of them. Not just the students that are into math,” Hill said.

At the end of the project, the students got to make the food from their food truck. Cochrane and Voykin made 70 mini cupcakes.

“Because 200 would have been too much,” the two said matter-of-factly.

The pair admitted they probably do not want to own food trucks when they grow up. However, they still thought the project was inspiring and helpful.

“Maybe I’ll want to own another type of business,” said Cochrane.

“I want to be a teacher and will do something like this with my kids,” added Voykin.

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liam.harrap@revelstokereview.com
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