Fordson Students Will Compete in 'Best Pizza' Challenge March 21

Editor's note: This press release was submitted by Rachel Gurk.

On March 21, 120 students at Fordson High School will don aprons and enter the kitchen to create a pizza masterpiece.

Students will work in small groups under staff supervision to create a pizza from scratch. Pizzas will be voted on during class based on taste, appearance and creativity. The top eight recipes will advance for public voting on Rachel Cooks, a food blog written by local home cook Rachel Gurk.

Voting will take place March 27 through April 10. The winning group of students will win a prize package of cooking and baking tools valued at more than $225. Prizes include a Circulon Contempo skillet, Microplane artisan grater, The Kneaded Loaf book by Red Star Yeast, an autographed copy of "The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Food From My Frontier" by Ree Drummond, and other cooking essentials.

In addition, winners will be chosen at random for other prizes, including a Le Creuset Essential Bakeware Set valued at $277.

Blendtec has donated a blender for use in the classroom for years to come. Students will also be using Red Star Yeast and California Olive Oil when creating their pizzas.

The cook-off is being planned and overseen by Rachel Gurk of Rachel Cooks, Wendy Perry, a teacher at Fordson High School, and Benjamin Gurk, principal of Fordson High School.

This event is sponsored by Blendtec, California Olive Ranch, California Pizza Kitchen, Chobani, Circulon, Keep It Sweet Desserts, Kerrygold, King Arthur Flour, KitchenAid, Le Creuset, Microplane, Miss in the Kitchen, OXO, Red Star Yeast, Star Fine Foods, The Pioneer Woman: Ree Drummond, Toot Sweet Caramels, Wusthof, and Zak Designs.