Our Students Need Your Support: How You Can Help

Some Gifts Change Lives

Every professional kitchen in America runs on commercial-grade equipment โ€” the kind our students will be expected to be comfortable operating on day one working in a commercial restaurant, hotel, or bakery. Right now, 36 students in each class are sharing equipment built for a fraction of that number, and some of our labs are still training on tools a decade behind what our graduates will work with in their future careers.

Here’s exactly what closes that gap โ€” broken down by what it costs and what it makes possible. Whether you cover a $100 course fee for one student or fund the $41,822 oven our bakery program will run on for the next fifteen years, every gift below buys something specific, immediate, and real.

Fund Our Wishlist

Major Equipment

ItemCost
Blodgett XR8-E Electric Mini Rotating Rack Bakery Convection Oven with Stand$41,822.46
Alto-Shaam 1200-SK DX Full-Height Cook and Hold Smoker Oven with Deluxe Controls$15,711.30
Vaddio DocCAM 20 HDBT OneLINK Bridge System$7,200

Small Equipment

ItemCost
Mercer Competition Knife Kit (6)$315 each
Vollrath 40756 10 Qt. Commercial Planetary Stand Mixer (6)$2,170.20 each
Robot Coupe R2B Food Processor (1)$1,200
Waring Commercial Xtreme Blender (4)$445 each
Sharp Medium Duty Commercial Microwave (2)$330 each

Student Sponsorships

ItemCost
Competition student sponsorship$1,000 each
One-semester (4-month) internship sponsorship for one student$500
Course fee scholarship for one student$100

You may choose to fund a specific item or let us direct your gift to the area of greatest need.

The Wekiva Culinary Fund supplements the resources available to Wekiva High School and improves learning opportunities for students pursuing career and technical education in Hospitality and the Culinary Arts. It’s overseen by an Advisory Board of local community, education, and business leaders, alongside school administrators, parents, students, and the Program Director.

All donations are fully tax-exempt and go only toward your donor-designated project or program.

Become a Presenting Sponsor

Adopt one of our programs, cover the full cost of implementation, and receive recognition through media releases, naming rights, and print/web advertising.

Programs currently seeking a Presenting Sponsor:

  • Wekiva Culinary Internship Program
  • Food Science Lab
  • Wekiva Culinary Competition Team
  • Annual Awards Banquet
  • Kitchen Maintenance and Equipment
  • Annual Taste of Wekiva

Become a Donor

Choose a program you’d like to support and target your gift to have the greatest impact on the cause you’re most passionate about.

Ways to Give

  • Credit Card โ€” make a secure one-time or recurring donation through the Wekiva Culinary Fund Giving Site.
  • Donations in Kind โ€” goods and services (stainless fabrication and repair; plumbing, electrical, and cabinetry; groceries, disposables, and cleaning supplies; linen, tent, or venue rental; T-shirt and banner printing; CO2 and propane; paint, carpet, and lighting; and more) are recognized at the same donor levels as cash gifts.
  • Cash or Check โ€” download the offline donation form and mail it with your gift to The Magnet Academy of Culinary Arts, c/o Wekiva High School, 2501 N Hiawassee Rd, Apopka, FL 32703.

For naming rights, in-kind donations, or the OCPS W9 form, contact Chef Bates directly at christopher.bates@ocps.net or (407) 297-4900 ext 6192628.