Rio Calaveras Elementary in Stockton, California, is focused on promoting college and career-minded citizens. With a mission of socially, emotionally, and academically supporting its community of future generations, Rio Calaveras serves more than 800 students from Transitional Kindergarten through the 8th grade.
The school’s Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) strives to develop the whole student by teaching life skills—including health, wellness, and nutrition. That’s where Rainbow Chefs Academy comes in.
Teaching Culinary Skills & Encouraging Healthy Habits
Alexis Carranco, Rio Calaveras Elementary’s ELOP Site Facilitator, first encountered Rainbow Chefs Academy during a pilot program in 2024. Since then, Rainbow Chefs Academy has become a staple of the school’s ELOP programming.
“Rainbow Chefs’ partnership aligns both with our school’s mission and ELOP’s mission,” Carranco says. “When it comes to our school’s mission, we aim to create capable college and career-minded citizens, in which Rainbow Chefs is there to plant a seed. As for aligning with ELOP, we aim to develop our students as a whole. By exposing them to culinary education, it helps expand their minds to different life skills and even vocations down the line.”
Rainbow Chefs Academy’s flexible courses are easily adaptable to students of all ages, which enables Ms. Carranco to include a hands-on culinary component for each grade level. Interactive culinary lessons and standards alignment are big reasons why Rainbow Chefs Academy’s courses appeal to both students and educators. “Some lessons incorporate math, reading, and around-the-world cultures. It’s very versatile,” Carranco says.
Enthusiastic, knowledgeable chefs work hard to create memorable experiences. “I love their engagement and the positivity that they bring to our students,” Carranco says. “It’s not only a learning experience for them, but it’s a learning experience for myself.” As a result, participants walk away with an increased appreciation for healthy eating and better equipped for life.
Spotlighting Student Achievements at Family Night
As a key contributor to Rio Calaveras’ ELOP program, it felt natural to include Rainbow Chefs Academy at the program’s first-ever “family night”—a community event spotlighting student success and encouraging family involvement. In addition to contributing aprons for the carnival-themed evening, Rainbow Chefs Academy’s implementation manager came on-site to help make family night a success. Students and parents alike enjoyed food, carnival games, face painting, prizes, and family-friendly activities.
“Students loved it, from the theme itself to seeing everything come together,” Carranco says. “Everything we do is student-focused, but getting the parents involved was really nice.”
Moving forward, Ms. Carranco plans to make the event a regular occurrence for Rio Calaveras’ ELOP program. Four total events will be hosted during the 2025-2026 school year, each focusing on a specific unit ranging from compassion to responsibility. Rainbow Chefs Academy stands ready to help enable successful family nights. Case in point, Rainbow Chefs Academy plans to provide a chef who will lead family-friendly recipes.
“Our goal for the next family night is to incorporate Rainbow Chefs Academy as a station for parents to participate in and experience what students do during the program,” Carranco says.
Making an Impact on Students’ Lives
At Rainbow Chefs Academy, we’re honored to support the good work being done by ELOP facilitators like Alexis Carranco at Rio Calaveras Elementary. It’s truly a partnership—one with massive potential outcomes for students’ lives.
“It’s definitely making a positive impact by exposing students to different types of recipes that encourage healthy life skills,” Carranco says. “But it’s also planting in students the possibility of working as a chef or in culinary arts, which aligns with Rio’s mission of creating college and career-minded students.”
Interested in bringing Rainbow Chefs Academy to your school or ELOP program? Contact us to learn about partnership opportunities.