Lincoln School in Joliet unveils new kitchen facilities to serve students

Joliet — In correcting a serious oversight at the Lincoln School Safe School Program in Joliet, the Will County Regional Office of Education has now opened the doors to more opportunities for students at the education center.

Regional Superintendent Dr. Lisa Caparelli-Ruff was joined on April 24 by local government figures and school officials to celebrate the ribbon cutting at Lincoln School’s new kitchen facility, which will be used to provide dining services for students as well as educational opportunities.

“When I was elected in July I asked for a tour of Lincoln School,” Caparelli-Ruff told the crowd gathered in the school’s gym. “I asked to see the lunchroom and was told ‘oh, we don’t feed the kids here.’”

Despite state and federal laws which require students to have mealtime during the school day — and for qualifying low-income students to be given free meals — Lincoln School did not have a functional kitchen facility located at 960 Royce Ave. in Joliet.

Lincoln School serves students in grades 6-12 who have struggled in regular school programs with academics or behavioral challenges.

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Caparelli-Ruff thanked community leaders who helped bring the project together quickly, including John Bays of Bays Investment Corporation, who owns the school property, Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow, and Pete Colarelli of ExxonMobil, who helped provide resources for the new kitchen.

“In order to get great things done, you need great people, and I’ve met incredible people in this job,” said Caparelli-Ruff. “When I told John [Bays] that I wanted to rehab the kitchen, he said ‘what do you want to do?’ The existing kitchen was a tiny little space between the gym and area they called ‘the dungeon.’ John tripled the size of it in less than one month once we got started. So, for that, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

“I would have liked to make it even bigger,” Bays said. “The problem was there was no room, but she [Caparelli-Ruff] needed it, and the school is a good tenant. I have a huge crew on staff, so I sent them in and got it done as quick as possible.”

The new dine-in kitchen is not only larger, but very modern and polished looking and is equipped with counter preparation space, a dishwasher, industrial sinks, stovetops, an overhead ventilation system, and two industrial-sized refrigerators which were provided by Glasgow’s office.

“We are so lucky and blessed to work with Jim Glasgow,” Caparelli-Ruff said. When he heard the kids were not eating, he said right away ‘I have two commercial refrigeration units, do you want them?’”

“We had the refrigerators from when we acquired the Children’s Advocacy Center,” Glasgow explained. “The building used to have a pre-school where they had a kitchen, but we didn’t need that for our use. So, it turned out perfectly. It was a perfect blend of one government agency helping another.”

Glasgow shared his passion for the Lincoln School and helping the students there, many of whom come from under-privileged backgrounds and are behind academically or have gotten in trouble for truancy or behavioral issues at their regular school districts.

“I was born homeless in an orphanage,” Glasgow said. “The only reason I’m here is because I won the lottery and got great parents. I lucked out. A lot of kids don’t. Some of these students live in motels or are homeless, of course they’re behind. We need to turn our philosophy around on this. If we take care of these kids when they’re younger, they’re more likely to be able to support themselves in the future. Everyone should be behind this.”

In addition to providing space for food service, the eat-in kitchen will also be used as a learning resource for the Lincoln School students.

One wall of the renovated space is occupied by growing trays for a hydroponics lab, which Caparelli-Ruff said will be used by the students to grow vegetables in hands-on science lessons, then used by the students in food preparation classes.

The hydroponics lab was provided by Colarelli and Exxon Mobile.

Food preparation classes will also become part of a new agreement between Will County ROE and Joliet Junior College for students to earn dual credit.

The new partnership will allow students to earn JJC credits in multiple programs, including Microsoft Suites and food service, which will give them more opportunities to find jobs when they graduate.

“This is such a tangible thing where we can see results,” said Glasgow. “Some problems you throw money at and it doesn’t do anything, this kitchen will see results. I can’t wait for the community to see those first students get good paying jobs at a restaurant with their food service credits.”