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INUVIK
"Let's do lunch" has taken on a new meaning at East Three Secondary School.

East Three Grade 11 student Justin Kingmiaqtuk is one of the students working in the East Three Cafe's lunch program. - T. Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

Under the direction of food and cooking teacher Patrick Gauley-Gale, a healthy lunches alternative has business booming at the school cafe.

"We've had a lunch program going for a couple of years in conjunction with soccer and floor hockey," he said. "We're trying to get kids active with lunchtime athletics and eating.

"This year, the lunch program has really taken off with the new school setup and some additional funding from the (Inuvialuit Regional Corporation) and the district educational authority," Gauley-Gale added. "We're now serving about 60 lunches a day."

That means about 20 per cent of the students at the school are being fed by the program, which is a measure of how well it has been received.

He has about a dozen students a day doing food prep and cleanup, and those are paid positions, Gauley-Gale said. They handle menu-planning and the cash. He has another 10 or 12 students who help out during the lunch rush hour.

"It's $15 an hour plus a free lunch and they're getting some work experience," he said. "The word is starting to spread that it's a lot fun and it's fast-paced. There's more interest on that end, too."

That's an important consideration, Gauley-Gale said, stating about 50 per cent of people wind up working in the hospitality industry at some point, whether it's a career choice or a short-term job as they work their way through post-secondary education.

"A little bit of hands-on education gives them a competitive advantage."

Justin Kingmiaqtuk is one of those students. The Grade 11 student has been working in the kitchen for about three weeks.

"I was offered a job here and I thought it would be a good way to start something new. I have an interest in cooking and food."

Unlike many school lunch programs, the East Three project isn't specifically geared to students who wouldn't have a meal otherwise. Gauley-Gale said there is some of that happening, but the mandate is a broader one of showing student how they can take control of their diet. It's also a way to make sure students who want to participate in the lunchtime athletics programs have access to a quick and nutritious lunch.

"It's really trying to improve the quality of food at a subsidized price," he said. "Nearly all of our items are made from scratch. We're not opening a can of pasta sauce; we're chopping carrots and peppers, etc. I've had parents in my classroom who are surprised you can make pasta sauce without opening a can."

Prices average $4 for a lunch, and even the parents of students sometimes stop by for a bite. The same is true for students on the elementary side of the school, who often wander over. Gauley-Gale said the program hasn't been directed to them as yet, but he's hoping that will change by next fall.

"That would take us up to about 140 or 150 meals a day," he said. "Ninety per cent of our items are $4 or less, and the most we ever charge is $5, and if the kids didn't have time for a lunch they probably wouldn't be participating in athletics either. They get about half an hour of playing sports, and they can grab lunch."

Without trying to be too critical of restaurants in town, Gauley-Gale said people in Inuvik are literally starved for dining options, and the school cafe gives them another, especially youth who are inclined to head off to the nearest fast-food restaurant, like Kentucky Fried Chicken or Pizza Hut.

"The reaction has been fantastic," he said.

The opening of East Three has allowed the program to expand. The kitchen is close to commercial grade, with more improvements in the offing.

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