NEW GLARUS — Students in New Glarus High School are being recognized at the state level for their creativity and culinary skills through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction’s Whipping Up Wellness Cookbook and Competition.
Earlier this spring, students in Ryan Lehman’s Family, Food and Society class submitted nine original recipes to the statewide competition. Out of more than 60 recipes submitted from schools across Wisconsin, four New Glarus student teams were selected to have their recipes featured in the 2026 Whipping Up Wellness Cookbook. The following students were selected:
● Chicken Parmesan with Spaghetti Tucker Mathews, Liam Lewke, Braden Goodness, and Trevor Wagner
● Chicken Fried Rice Macy Hoida, Arianna Olson, Kennedy Shunk, and Nevaeh Neilsen
● Creamy Tomato Pasta Lana Martin, Brynna Lamb, Adelyn Sarbacker, Lucy Sidwell, and Jessica Oehlhof
● Ricotta Rigatoni Pasta Anna Boyle, Stella Hauser, Jaycee Dimaggio, and Kennedy Martinelli
In addition, the Ricotta Rigatoni Pasta team was named one of the top five finalists in the entire state.
As part of the finalist experience, students partnered with the New Glarus School District’s food service provider, Taher, to adapt and scale their recipe for use in a school lunch program. The students then prepared and served their dish to middle and high school students, who completed sensory evaluations to provide feedback on taste, appearance, and overall appeal.
The competition culminated at Madison College, where the finalist team prepared their recipe in professional culinary teaching kitchens and presented it to a panel of judges that included culinary arts instructors and representatives from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
The 2026 Whipping Up Wellness Cookbook will be printed this fall, with digital copies available through the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction website.
“We are incredibly proud of all of our students for their creativity, teamwork, and dedication throughout this experience,” said instructor Ryan Lehman. “This opportunity allowed students to apply real-world culinary and nutrition skills while representing New Glarus in an outstanding way.”
