The El Paso County Colorado School District 49 presented information about their culinary arts program at the April 7 meeting of the Eastern Plains Chamber of Commerce. Attendees also heard from Kat Harp about home refinancing. Harp provided a highly engaging and informative PowerPoint Presentation on how your home equity is a tool for your financial freedom and independence.D 49 offers a three-year culinary arts program designed for students who want a career in the food industry. Eric Lustig, culinary arts instructor, explained the program. Based at Patriot High School, the program, called the District 49 Culinary Arts and Hospitality Program, is available for all D 49 high school students.Lustig said the program involves more than learning how to cook. The first year program deals with culinary math. In the second year, the students learn about finances and investments and how to be financially responsible. Business management is a major topic of the third year. At the end of the program, a student will earn three credits in culinary arts, two credits in math and one-half credit each in restaurant management and business. They also receive food handler and manager certifications.Students also train under World Master Chef Victor Matthews and can earn post-secondary culinary certifications in Foundations and World Cuisine.Lustig has been in education since 1992. He spent 17 years as a math teacher before using his restaurant background to take on culinary arts. He was teacher of the year four times, and is passionate about teaching. Before the meeting, Lustigís students Joe DeSantis and Isaac George demonstrated their skills by serving a breakfast they had prepared for the chamber members.The second speaker was Kat Harp, a mortgage loan officer with Integrity Bank and Trust. Harp has been with Integrity five years, including three-and-a-half years in lending. She provided a highly engaging and informative PowerPoint Presentation on how home equity is a tool for financial freedom and independence.ìI like talking to people,î she told chamber members. She used the financial figures of one of her clients to explain the refinancing process. ìAs time goes on, your home value will increase,î she said, further explaining how the loan value of a house is calculated.ìIf you are thinking of refinancing, I would advise you to do it now.î Harp urged chamber members to strive for financial freedom with the assets they already have. She also discussed some of the variables involved in refinancing. In response to a question, Harp said it was best to wait at least six months after buying a house to refinance it. The next breakfast meeting is May 5 ó Happy Cinco de Mayo. Carrie Geitner, El Paso County commissioner will be the guest speaker.
