COVID-19 PUSHES CLASSES TO HYBRID
CLEARLAKE >> Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Woodland Community College is offering higher education and responding proactively to help prevent the spread of the virus. Classes at the college are now “hybrid.” All lectures are being conducted in a virtual environment with at-home lab activities being offered to students. On-campus lab classes are now limited to no more than 10 people at a time, with continuous social distancing and proper mask wearing enforced during oncampus lab hours.
“We’re one of the sectors that allows face to face instruction — an essential sector. Essential sectors, during the pandemic, were allowed to stay open. A big part of our program is running a student brand restaurant — Aromas Café and Restaurant. My students completely run a full service restaurant that is open to the public, and we’re really well known in the community for that. On average, we would do sometimes upwards of
100 lunches before the pandemic,” said Chef Robert Cabreros.
Aromas Express Window, open to the public, follows a model that helps the students to serve food safely to guests. Clear plexiglass partitions in the prep kitchen area were installed, and the procedure of maintain
ing airflow throughout the kitchen using the return air from a commercial hood system during on- campus lab hours was adopted. “This semester was, obviously, different in that we did the lecture part of it at home, and then I did small group labs with students, and we still opened the restaurant,” said
Cabreros adding that the facility’s exhaust system allows for proper ventilation.
The College adopted selfcheck procedures for staff and students as the first prompt of instruction per on- campus lab day, and acquired funds to purchase at-home lab kits for student at-home lab activities. The College has also been working with the Lake County Health Department’s checklist to adhere to the county’s opening and operational guidelines. Lab hours are offered as an at-home activity in lieu of on- campus lab hours to help mitigate scenarios surrounding COVID. Finally, an online interactive textbook designed for the culinary Industry, called Rouxbe, helps with the hybrid model, supporting athome lab activities.
The baking classes start after 4 p.m. to allow high school students to participate. Most of them are eligible for financial aid — “and that is pretty approachable. Most of our students — I would say probably 80% of them — will most definitely qualify for it, especially in
these times when a lot of people are unemployed,” said Chef Ann Marie.
The event known as “Super Saturday,” which is scheduled for Jan. 16, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., will help those interested individuals to register for classes and to apply for financial aid. They will have the opportunity to take a tour of the Culinary Arts and Baking program facilities. Woodland Community College will be giving away culinary supplies that include a knife kit, a chef coat, and a hat to stu
dents who registered full time in the program, while supplies last. The Culinary Round-Up helps the student with the expenses of the program. The supply kits are available because of grant funding and will be awarded on a first-comefirst-serve basis.
To register for classes or for more information about the program and the opportunities that come with it, call (707) 995-7310 or (707) 995- 4804, or e-mail rcabrero@yccd.edu and AromasCafe@yccd.edu. The Super Saturday event, whether it will be hosted on campus or virtually is contingent on current COVID restrictions. Culinary classes start on January 25.