Murfreesboro students fundraise for class trip by selling vegan dishes

Eighth and ninth graders at the Murfreesboro, Tenn., School found a unique approach to fundraise for their class trip – they decided to make and sell vegan dishes. Led by Murfreesboro Church member, Michelle Milano, students cook and sell a new recipe every Thursday.

The idea originated at the beginning of the school year when teachers were discussing the health curriculum. According to Milano, they knew they wanted to incorporate a healthy cooking component to the class.

“The health message is the right hand to the gospel, and we wanted to integrate that into their learning,” Milano said. “I think that a lot of people have a misconception that plant-based food is not delicious. So, I wanted to show kids that [vegan dishes] are not only simple to cook, but also very tasty. They're not missing out on anything by changing their lifestyle.”

Every Thursday, the students learn a new plant-based recipe. So far, they have learned to make vegan burgers, soups, mac & cheese, pizza and more. The students are selling their dishes and saving the money for their class trip, which is supposed to take place at the end of April.

According to Milano, this project has been a great success. Students, like high school freshman Rebecca Bouza, have learned a valuable lesson about healthy eating and responsible spending.

“[Because of this class] I give a lot more thought to my diet because I know the foods I eat affect me physically and mentally,” Bouza said. “The fact that we’re working to pay for our class trip has also helped me build financial skills. I know I can use these skills in the future.”