Adam Leatherman and Xaviera Rosado waited for the signal that it was time to attend to the delicate piece of chocolate, shaped like a branch, that was being attached to a chocolate mask.
The high school students, who were assisting Howard Community College culinary instructor David Milburn, quickly sprayed a steady stream of compressed air from an aerosol can onto the heated chocolate, which immediately cooled - bonding the two pieces together. Their masterpiece, which had the theme of "A Turn-of-the-Century Paris Carnival," was complete.
The pair from Howard High joined 98 other culinary and hospitality management students from across the Howard County school system this week to meet with the college's faculty and discuss the possibility of pursuing a career in those industries.
In addition to meeting with and talking to a slew of faculty, the students learned about the rigors of the college's programs. They also were able to watch adjunct professor Rudy Karson make a classic Cobb salad from scratch; carve a pumpkin for a contest; play a spirited game of food-themed "Jeopardy!"; and talk with culinary students at the college in Columbia.
"This has kind of motivated me more to go into the restaurant industry," said Rosado, a 16-year-old junior at the Ellicott City high school.
Rosado, who wants to eventually open a restaurant specializing in Hispanic cuisine, said it will be important to attend a culinary school or a school focused on business.
"This is going to help me focus on schools I want to go to," Rosado said.
Leatherman's mind is already made up. The 17-year-old senior wants to go to Howard Community College in the fall.
"It's a great bang for the buck," he said, as he got ready to eat the stuffed tortilla wrap that students were asked to make for lunch. "It's close to home. It has great articulation with other schools. Now I just have to figure out what to do."
Leatherman is trying to decide whether he wants to pursue a degree in culinary arts or in hotel management, which are both offered at the school.
"It's a nice experience for them," said Liela Razik, the culinary arts teacher at Atholton High School in Columbia. The annual visit to the college is the highlight of the school year for many of her students, Razik said.
