On Friday, Sept. 19, Lynchburg City Schools (LCS) unveiled its first student-designed and operated food truck, The Lunchburg Express. Decked out with a fully operational commercial kitchen and a shiny custom wrap, the truck was donated by Intuit, the global financial technology platform that makes Intuit TurboTax, Credit Karma, QuickBooks, and Mailchimp. In partnership with Intuit and Lynchburg Beacon of Hope, the new food truck program will help LCS Career and Technical Education (CTE) students develop the technical, financial, and entrepreneurial skills needed to run a business.
“Lynchburg City Schools is grateful to partner with Intuit and Lynchburg Beacon of Hope to launch this unique student-led food truck program. As the first school division on the East Coast to receive an Intuit food truck, LCS is leading the way in Career and Technical Education nationwide,” said LCS Superintendent Dr. Kristy Somerville-Midgette.
E. C. Glass and Heritage high school students will manage the roving culinary business alongside their teachers. Students at Dunbar, Linkhorne, and Sandusky middle schools will also have opportunities to explore the food truck and learn about running a business. The program will provide opportunities for learners to explore multiple career pathways, including culinary arts, business, entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, and information technology.
“The Intuit Food Truck Program is more than just a vehicle; it’s a mobile classroom designed to equip students with real-world skills that translate directly into future careers and business ownership,” said Intuit Vice President of Education and Corporate Responsibility Dave Zasada. “By integrating financial literacy and entrepreneurship education into hands-on experiences, we are preparing students for success beyond middle and high school.”
LCS, Intuit, and Lynchburg Beacon of Hope unveiled the Lunchburg Express at a special event at Lynchburg City Stadium.
Innovations in Career & Technical Education
Intuit is providing the food truck, supporting curriculum, access to Intuit products, and a donation to cover operating expenses for the first year. The opportunity to launch a food truck program is a rare one; only seven other school divisions have received trucks from Intuit. LCS will be the first to engage middle school students in the food truck program.
The Lunchburg Express is a testament to the strength of the LCS CTE program, which offers more than 62 courses for middle and high school students. Students have opportunities to explore careers in growing industries, from architecture to culinary arts to dentistry.
“Equipped with robust CTE offerings, expert instructors, and strong partnerships with local companies, LCS specializes in preparing students for successful careers,” said LCS Supervisor of CTE Robbie Dooley. “The opportunity for students to run a fully functional food truck business elevates our program to the next level.”
The school division’s interconnectedness with the local community is what helped bring the food truck program to the Hill City. Lynchburg Beacon of Hope, a nonprofit that partners with LCS to empower students to plan their postgraduate careers, initiated the partnership with Intuit last year.
“This partnership speaks to how schools, nonprofits, and corporations can work together and strengthen opportunities for students. Lynchburg Beacon of Hope is excited to support LCS students as they embark on this ongoing journey of learning and growth through the Intuit Food Truck Program,” said Lynchburg Beacon of Hope Executive Director Leidra McQueen.
E. C. Glass High School culinary arts teacher Lisa Hughes (left) with students.
Students Lead the Way
For many LCS students, this journey began before the vehicle even arrived in Lynchburg. Its name, “The Lunchburg Express,” was a product of a student brainstorming session in May, during which E. C. Glass and Heritage culinary arts, marketing, business, entrepreneurship, art, and drafting students dreamed up branding ideas.
“All of our CTE students—not just those in culinary arts—can learn real-life skills through the food truck program. I’m looking forward to seeing my students get involved on the advertising and social media side of things,” said Heritage High marketing teacher Andrew Kelso.
Student concepts also informed the digital artwork plastered across the vehicle, which depicts E. C. Glass and Heritage students preparing food, set against the Blue Ridge mountains, the James River, and the Lynchburg skyline. The front of the truck even features a twist on the iconic Virginia LOVE sign, decorated with examples of food that could be served from its windows: fries, donuts, sandwiches, burgers, and more.
“Being a part of this feels like a big thing—not just for the school, but for the city as a whole,” said Heritage High marketing student Aiden Myers. “It’s been exciting to help create something that can be special to people in the community.”
Culinary Arts Students Shine
The local and school-specific flairs reflect the business’s homegrown roots, while the wide array of tasty treats pictured leaves room for creative freedom in menu design. Intuit food trucks are designed to be “cuisine-agnostic,” giving culinary arts students the flexibility to serve a wide variety of foods.
E. C. Glass culinary arts teacher Lisa Hughes’ students are no strangers to this type of work; last year, they created concepts for their own imaginary food trucks, designing everything from logos to menus. This year, they’ll do the real thing, creating menus for the Lunchburg Express and switching up the fare whenever curriculum or creativity necessitates a change.
“The students and I are so excited to start operating the food truck. This is a chance for students to feel a sense of ownership of their work while developing skills like teamwork, customer service, preparing food in a commercial kitchen, and more,” said E. C. Glass culinary arts teacher Lisa Hughes. “I want kids to know there are amazing career paths they can explore using the skills they’re learning in the classroom.”
Culinary arts students will be busy dreaming up recipes, preparing food, and manning the truck this year. Many already have ample experience catering school or community events. The food truck will up the ante, putting their abilities to the test in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
“This class gives us a lot of great resume-building experience and sets us up with life skills, like working together and communicating,” said E. C. Glass culinary arts student Hayley Puckett. “It’s crazy that we’re getting a real food truck. It feels like we have a voice as students, and we’ve all been a big part of creating this together.”
E. C. Glass culinary arts students catered the Lunchburg Express launch event–a taste of what’s to come when they start preparing food in the truck.
Learning by Doing
But culinary arts students won’t be the only ones running The Lunchburg Express. There will be ample opportunities for students from all CTE disciplines to participate.
LCS Supervisor of CTE Robbie Dooley pictures automotive technology students servicing the vehicle, cybersecurity students ensuring digital systems run smoothly, nurse aide students helping administer CPR and safety training, marketing students drawing crowds with promotional campaigns, finance students balancing the books, and more. Already, the launch of the truck has been a collaborative effort by students from a wide swath of CTE classes.
Intuit is even equipping the business with free access to its products, including QuickBooks accounting software, GoPayment point-of-sale system, and Mailchimp email marketing tool. Students will use these industry-standard tools to run The Lunchburg Express.
E. C. Glass and Heritage high school students brainstormed branding ideas for the Lunchburg Express last spring.
Order Up!
Dooley is working to obtain the license that will allow students to prepare food in the truck for commercial purposes. There’s plenty of work to do in the meantime as students prepare for the rollout of the business. Starting in the spring, you can expect to see The Lunchburg Express serving up delicious eats at various community events.
“The Lunchburg Express presents opportunities to engage students in an authentic way using the skills they’re learning in the classroom for years to come,” Dooley said. “It’s a chance for students to feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in what they’ve created together. When people see our food truck out in the community, it’ll be a testament to the hard work, passion, and expertise of our students.”
