Pizza partnership: Local business offers students hands-on lessons

Lunchtime visit provides RLC middle schoolers a range of benefits - and a delicious meal!

Each student looked on as Vincent Villeda turned the dough, spread the cheese and added their's choice of toppings - cheese, bacon and onions - before sliding the whole thing into the oven. Then came the hardest part: the wait. 

One by one, Rye Lake Campus Middle School students Miles Dimasi, Denum Abreu, Xavier Tucker and Jace Thomas stepped behind the counter at Vinnie's Pizza on Broadway in North White Plains. Each described his perfect pizza then watched wide-eyed as Vinnie himself assembled it from scratch. 

The chance to visit a local business and get a hands-on lesson that resulted in a delicious lunch came about organically. Teacher Tiziana Demasi dines here occasionally, or at the bagel shop next door. When she stopped in one day, she and Vinnie got to talking, and a learning opportunity took shape. 

"He invited us," Ms. Demasi said, "and I said sure. They would love it!"

Vinnie explained the process to the students, how the dough is made the day before but each pizza is baked fresh. He posed with each student as theirs came out of the oven. Students learned about what it would be like to work in a pizzeria and what it takes to make a pizza themselves. The visit also let them work on their social skills

"They wanted to come in and explore," said Vinnie, who recently became owner of the business, "and I'd like to let the community know that I'm here."

Partnering with Rye Lake Campus, just a short drive north from his door, was a great way to do that, he said. 

"This was a unique and wonderful opportunity that Ms. DeMasi discovered, and I was happy to support her in making this happen," Principal Eric Ford. "We are fortunate any time we have a partner in the community willing to provide instructional opportunities for our students in a real-world setting."