Lake Pend Oreille students 'Bake for Good'

SANDPOINT — “Every ingredient in our recipe has a job to do,” Pam Jensen, a King Arthur Baking Company instructor, told a gym full of 200 Farmin Stidwell students last week.  

Jensen was visiting schools as part of King Arthur’s “Bake for Good” program, which is a free outreach for students grades four through 12. Kootenai Elementary also participated in the program with over 170 students taking part. 

“There are three goals: learn, bake, and share,” King Arthur Baking Company officials said on the company’s website. “Students learn the math and science of making bread from scratch.”

After observing a lesson taught by Jensen during a school assembly, students baked loaves of bread, using a provided recipe either at home or together in school with supplies from the company. The recipe makes two loaves — one to keep and one to share with someone in need or as an act of kindness.

Farmin Stidwell began working with Jensen in 2019, Elizabeth Dalessio, Farmin Stidwell principal, said. Of the five years the school has participated, two of the years during the COVID-19 pandemic involved virtual assemblies.

One of the school’s building initiatives and goals is to incorporate service into learning, Dalessio said. 

“Our students have many opportunities to experience hands-on service projects throughout the year,” she said. “[Thursday’s] assembly allowed for science and service to come together, with a pretty neat end result. Students learned about volume, reactions, and carbon dioxide, and will have an opportunity to take a baking kit home to use with their families.”

One fourth-grade student, Kaijah Beuskens, reflected on the joy of the process. 

"I think my favorite part was when we were braiding the dough … that was fun,” he said. “And also when it came out of the oven because it looked really cool and looked much better than before, and it smelled good." 

Students and teachers are excited to donate fresh bread to the Hoot Owl Soup Kitchen and share their experiences of baking at home, Dalessio said. 

“As principal, I feel strongly about community involvement and helping develop good citizens,” she said. “Our teachers and students have done so much for the community this year, from Blankets for Hope to Bake for Good.”