The Dawgs are ready to roll
BY ANITA STEIFEL
EDITOR@OPELIKAOBSERVER.COM
OPELIKA — The Opelika City Schools Board of Education held a joint November-December meeting on Dec. 10, the Opelika City Schools Board of Education discussed the high school’s new student-run culinary food truck, which was rolled out during a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier in the day.
“The food truck has been a dream for a while, and we are thrilled that it is officially open for business,” said Superintendent Dr. Farrell Seymore. “It represents how education can extend beyond the classroom by providing a unique hands-on learning experience for students to strengthen their culinary skills and gain the knowledge to become successful business owners. We are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to turning this dream into a reality, and we are excited to see the positive impact this will have on our students and the Opelika community.”
Attendees at the ribbon-cutting ceremony toured the food truck and sampled desserts prepared by OHS culinary students.
“We’re excited and grateful to see this dream become a reality,” said Chef Judy Eldred. “Our students can apply what they’ve learned in the classroom by developing menus, creating business plans and interacting with their community.”
The food truck serves as a mobile classroom, equipping students with skills in food preparation, customer service and business operations. It will be utilized for catering school events and engaging with various community events.
“We are thrilled to support our alma mater, the incredible students of Opelika High School and Chef Eldred’s vision for the Culinary Department,” reads a statement from the anonymous donors who brought the project to fruition. “This food truck is an exciting learning opportunity that we hope inspires students, and it’s great to see this dream become a reality.”
According to a press release, the food truck will be utilized for catering school events and engaging with various community events. It made its debut at Opelika’s Christmas in a Railroad Town on Dec. 13.
In other action during the meeting:
- The board approved recommended personnel matters,
- The board approved the Teachers’ Bill of Rights Policy,
- The board approved the 2025-2026 School Calendar,
- The board approved four out-of-state field trip requests and
- The board approved the sale of five non-operational buses from the current fleet.
The next regularly scheduled meeting will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at the Central Office on Simmons Street.
