Back Door Café’s Year-End Fete Serves Up ‘The Big Apple’

By Larissa Lytwyn

Nestled under the cool greens of overhead trees, in the basement of St John’s Episcopal Church in Sandy Hook, Newtown High School’s Back Door Café staff celebrated the school year’s end with a “summer in the city” beach-season blastoff.

“This year, the kids picked New York City as their theme,” said culinary instructor Dru Saren. The Big Apple, of course, would not be complete without Broadway and Yankee Stadium — nor without a small tribute to September 11. Comprised of more than 40 students whose decision to work there affords them elective credit, the café staff spent several weeks planning and creating posters and various other decorations. Paintings of the Statue of Liberty, recreated posters of Broadway classics such as Chicago and, of course, a special homage to September 11, were all part of the café’s urban transformation. Hot dogs, popcorn, and other treats were served.

Formed by six alternate education students in 1993, the café has since been awarded various grants, including the 2002 Together in Education Grant sponsored by the tri-state MacDonald’s and a grant and Certification of Excellence from Newtown High School. The café is open to the local community and district school faculty and administration via a phone-in delivery food service. “We also have a special Weight Watchers menu,” said Ms Saren.

Profits yielded are poured right back into the enterprise to support operation and maintenance costs.

In addition to the New York City-themed designs, the students also reserved an area to display their prom pictures from this past May. “It’s a very family oriented atmosphere,” said Ms Saren. “The parents and community are always coming in.”

Many of the students’ families, in fact, have participated in cooking activities and even offered recipes for the Back Door Café’s official cookbook. “It’s wonderful to see the children and their parents working together,” said Ms Saren. She said she was certain that the New York City event would further nourish these relationships.