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Adaptive Cooking


COOKING & BAKING -
Winter/Spring 2026

This 10-week cooking class will cover cooking safety (including safe cutting techniques), healthy cooking hygiene, and how to cook various simple foods. This course is adapted to be accessible for people with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities. The classes will break each cooking task down into manageable steps. Cooking topics may include:

  • no bake cookies, pasta, nachos, coffee/tea, and seasonal treats
  • using a toaster 
  • food safety including how to decipher expiration dates, how to know when food is cooked, how to identify mold, how to properly clean the kitchen, how to avoid burning yourself on the stove and pans
  • following steps of a recipe
  • team work in a shared kitchen space
  • memory techniques to remember to turn the stove and oven off.

This course will run for 10 weeks and the lessons will build on each other with the chance for lots of repetition. 

While students will snack during each class, there will not be full meals provided during every class; students are recommended to plan accordingly.

Aids are welcome to join a student. A needs assessment covering food sensitivities/allergies, past cooking experiences and more will be part of the registration process.

This class is intended for young adults ages 14 and older. June 1st will be a makeup day in case of instructor illness or weather cancellations.

Emma Severn

Hello my name is Emma Severn and I am an occupational therapist working in a skilled nursing facility. I completed my doctoral capstone this past May, researching how occupational therapists can help young adults with ID and DD become more independent with life skills once school services end. I have experience as a personal care assistant for several young adults with intellectual disabilities, sparking my passion for helping this population. I am excited to work with a wide varieties of abilities and would love to adapt cooking, an important activity of daily living, to fit all unique individuals.

 March 2026 
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 May 2026 
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  Emma Severn


Champlain Valley Union High School : 129 - Kitchen
Mondays, Mar 2 - May 11
5:30 - 7:00 PM

  No Class Apr 20


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Fewer than 5 spots left


$ 250.00
Per Person