Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) has announced that students from Lightridge High School’s Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) program participated in the Cooking Up Hope initiative. The students prepared Thanksgiving meals for families within the district experiencing homelessness.
According to a news release by LCPS, under the guidance of teachers Maria Gore and Kelsy Zaremski, the students cooked turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, buttered corn, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, and pumpkin dessert. They prepared a total of 72 meals to serve 18 families. The meals were delivered by LCPS staff to families currently residing in hotels. This effort was supported by Loudoun Hunger Relief, Lightridge families, and LCPS staff who contributed food or funds.
The initiative also served as a practical learning experience for the students. It connected classroom instruction to real-world applications. Students enrolled in courses such as Gourmet Foods, Introduction to Culinary, Food Science, and Project Management practiced recipe preparation during prior Friendsgiving events. Advanced students learned to scale recipes for large groups and apply food science principles. The recipients of these meals are supported by the LCPS McKinney-Vento program, which ensures educational rights for students experiencing homelessness.
“When we opened Lightridge in fall 2020,” said Dr. Ryan Hitchman, Principal of Lightridge High School according to a news release by LCPS, “we wanted our school to be a community center. Sometimes that means inviting people into our building, while at other times it involves our students and staff providing to our community.” Hitchman expressed excitement about being part of Cooking Up Hope and thanked the students and staff for their efforts during the holiday season.
Loudoun County Public Schools is headquartered in Ashburn, Virginia. It provides comprehensive information on its operations including calendars, school hours, parent resources, and administrative contacts. The district maintains detailed enrollment and achievement data through District and School Profiles which include demographics, graduation rates, Standards of Learning (SOL) pass rates, standardized test scores, and federal accountability metrics. Virginia’s School Quality Profiles complement these reports by offering annual snapshots and multi-year trends on student achievement among other factors. LCPS is led by Superintendent Aaron Spence and governed by an elected School Board responsible for policy-making and strategic planning.
