STUART, Fla. (CBS12) — At Anderson Middle School in Stuart, students are learning how to cook, handle kitchen tools safely and make nutritious food.

“We really start off with food safety, and then we go into kitchen safety because the kitchen is a beautiful place to work, but it’s also very dangerous,” culinary teacher Daniel Leavy said. “We want to make sure that the kids know not to touch the hot pans, how to hold a knife, how to walk with a knife.”

Students start with the basics, including eggs, before moving on to tacos, quesadillas and fajitas. The class also holds a chili contest.

“The kids love the chili contest. They get really excited,” Leavy said. “You should hear the bragging rights in the hallway about it.”

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Anderson has the only culinary class among the Martin County School District’s middle schools. The classroom recently received new stoves, refrigerators and dishwashers, and students got new plates this year.

Leavy said he enjoys teaching students about food they can make at home and how to choose nutritious options. He also talks with them about the importance of eating breakfast.

“For them to get up in the morning, for their brain to work, they need something good to eat,” Leavy said. “Sugar will only get them to third period, and then they crash and burn.”

He hopes students leave the class feeling comfortable in the kitchen and ready to use what they have learned at home.

“I hope they take away that and feel really comfortable in the kitchen, so they can make mom and dad breakfast in bed in the morning on Saturday,” Leavy said.

Students can continue studying culinary arts at Martin County High School. District officials say the high school’s culinary program ranks second in the state.

Teacher Feature is sponsored by Baker & DiSalvo Personal Injury Law.