Fort Pierce Central Students Bake Pizzas From Scratch in Career Classes

Fort Pierce Central High School students in two Career Planning and Career Exploration classes spent Friday, Feb. 28, learning to make pizza from scratch — dough and all — guided by a paraprofessional who once ran her own pizzeria.

The hands-on lesson gave students a direct look at culinary career pathways while building practical workplace and life skills in a fun, low-pressure environment. Every student selected their own toppings and watched their personal creations bake, filling the classroom with what the school called "the unmistakable smell of a busy kitchen."

Paraprofessional Ms. Rose Renda, a former pizzeria owner, demonstrated how to stretch, flip, twirl and toss dough into the air with professional technique. Students watched as Renda walked them through each step — from preparing fresh ingredients to assembling a finished pie — before the class baked a celebratory cake together to cap the afternoon.

The lesson aligns with the mission of Mrs. Baechle's Career Planning classes, which are designed to help students explore professional pathways through real-world experiences rather than classroom theory alone. Bringing in someone with genuine industry experience deepened that connection, giving students a firsthand look at what owning and operating a food-service business entails.

Many of the students who participated are also members of Cobra Pals, a student organization at Central that pairs students in exceptional student education programs with general education peers. The group has become a cornerstone of the school's community-building efforts, and Friday's culinary session reinforced the bonds the organization works to create.

The energy from the pizza lesson has spilled into anticipation for the upcoming Cobra Carnival, another signature event that draws the Central campus together. Students said the hands-on experiences — from dough-tossing to carnival preparation — reflect the pride and connection that define what they call Cobra Nation.

Fort Pierce Central families can watch for details on the Cobra Carnival as the school releases scheduling information in the weeks ahead.

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