Crestview fosters successful business partnerships

Kasey Baker holding the ice cream with Katie Biondi’s class. (Submitted photo)

NEW WATERFORD – Crestview Local Schools have once again fostered successful business partnerships this year, with standout projects engaging students in hands-on learning experiences.

One of many notable collaborations involved a project-based learning initiative between the kindergarten class and Baker’s Golden Dairy in New Waterford. Known for its flavored milk products and ice cream, Baker’s Golden Dairy has gained popularity over the past decade. The project tasked the kindergarten class with developing and naming a new ice cream flavor.

The students, guided by Kasey Baker of Baker’s Golden Dairy, began the project with a tour of the farm. They learned about the ice cream-making process and brainstormed ideas for their own flavor. Baker provided guidelines on what could be accomplished at the farm and a list of possible ingredients for the students to use. Each classroom competed to create the winning flavor.

“The project worked out well,” said Baker. “They worked on each step, starting with seeing how it is all done, and then coming up with the idea. It was fun to work with the kids. You can’t do something like this just anywhere.”

Katie Biondi’s class emerged victorious with their creation, “Rebel Road,” a mix of chocolate and vanilla ice cream with brownie and cookie dough pieces. “We took votes on the ingredients and got to pick the ones with the most votes for our ice cream,” said Genesis Simko, a student in Biondi’s class.

On Friday, May 17, the kindergarten class enjoyed the winning product, and the consensus was a unanimous thumbs up. Kasey Baker mentioned that she hopes “Rebel Road” will be available for purchase at the store on Carter Rd. in New Waterford and for home delivery around the first of June.

Other successful project-based learning collaborations this year at Crestview included first grade working with the Columbiana County Career and Technical Center’s landscape program and third grade partnering with Columbiana Nutrition and Bubble Tech. Phantom Fireworks worked with eighth grade students to develop a new firework product for possible retail store sales next July, as well as fourth grade designing new T-shirts to represent the original Phantom Fireworks store in Youngstown. Fifth grade worked with East Fairfield Stone Company, while sixth and seventh grades worked with Alliance Credit Union.