Talkeetna Elementary holds fundraising taqueria event

by:  Katie Writer – KTNA

Last Thursday at the Talkeetna Elementary School, the fourth and fifth grade students raised funds for next year’s field trip to Kachemak Bay near Homer. They need to raise a considerable amount of money to cover the travel, lodging, and fees of what many former students remember as an all time favorite field trip. KTNA’s Katie Writer spoke with teachers, Lisa Curtis and Lori Holcomb about why they chose the Cinco de Mayo theme for a student run Taqueria.

There was a store set up in one classroom with Mexican theme homemade gifts and a taqueria in another classroom. Students decorated the rooms with lights and streamers and the menu was the classic beans and rice with 2 tacos. They also served birch syrup harvested from the local birch forest. 

Fourth grade teacher Lisa Curtis was amazed by the community support.  Many of those attending the fundraiser were community members who do not have children enrolled at the school.

Fifth grade teacher Lori Holcomb says students had a crash course in restaurant workers many roles.

All of the students wore aprons and showed up at tables with warm smiles and excellent eye contact while they wrote down the customers orders. The school kitchen was very busy as Miss Jody and helpers cooked up 60 pounds of ground beef.

The music accompanying the delicious soft and hard shell tacos added to a cheerful and lucrative event. Over $1200 was raised by the Taqueria.

While much of the needed $18,000 is raised by Talkeetna community organizations and donors, the Talkeetna Elementary students will take pride in their own efforts of their successful spring Taqueria.