Chef Educate

Join us for our April 2025 Chapter Meeting at the CIM in Port Huron! Hosted by Chef Tom Recinella, CEC, AAC, HoF and an Open Forum with ACF Team USA Managers and ACF competition judges panel.


Detailed directions:
Approaching from the West on I-69. Take the I-94 East exit to I-94 then exit at exit 275 Pine Grove M25 exit then follow the directions below once off the exit.

Approaching from the Detroit Metro Area on I 94 east:
You will get off at exit 275 Pine Grove M25 exit. It is the last exit on I 94 east. (Stay all the way over to the right. We have had visitors accidentally go onto the bridge to Canada; it is not fun)

Please be advised due to the proximity of the Blue Water Bridge to Canada, GPS sometimes does not work correctly and sends people onto the bridge to Canada.

Once off the exit:
There is a light once you get off at exit 275. Go straight through the light. You will be parallel to the Blue Water Bridge which will be on your left. You will cross 10th street. Follow the blue signs for the convention center and waterfront. You will come to a four way stop at this point you should see the DoubleTree Hilton 800 Harker St, Port Huron, MI 48060 straight ahead. You will head straight into their parking lot. Look right and you will see our building and our two residence halls.

The parking lot is shared with Doubletree By Hilton hotel.

So real!

Dear Parent,

Today I sent you an email to inform you that your child has failed to turn in yet another assignment.

He is in danger of failing my class, and I thought you might be concerned about his grade.

Turns out I was wrong.

Instead of asking me if there is anything he can do to make up the work, or what he needs to do to pass, you blamed me. You accused me of not liking your kid.

To be perfectly frank, he’s not my favorite.

He is rude.

He lies to me.

He blows off my class, and he proclaims my lessons “stupid.” I have seen him mouth off to kids who are bigger and tougher, and I’ve seen him be mean to kids who are weaker and less fortunate.

So you are right.

I don’t always like him. But I do care about him.

I care very much, and I am worried.

You see, one day very soon this boy you are so eager to protect will leave your nest, and I am worried that he does not have the skills to make it in the real world.

I worry that his future employers or friends or spouse, will not have the patience that you and I have.

I worry that he will slack off at work and make excuses.

I worry he will be rude to his boss and mouthy to his coworkers.

I worry he will be unkind and that he won’t be able to keep a job or friends or a wife.

I worry that he’ll be lonely.

And when these things happen, you will not be able to protect him.

When he blames others for his problems by saying, “Well, they just don’t like me,” he will be right.

It’s true. Sometimes I don’t like your son.

But mostly I am just frustrated by how hard he makes it to like him.

I’ve seen enough to know that it could be easier.

Sometimes he forgets that he’s supposed to hate school.

He forgets that caring isn’t cool.

Sometimes I see a spark of interest. I see a light come on.

On those days when he shares some insight into a poem or a thoughtful opinion about something we’ve read, I can tell he gets it.

And he likes getting it.

Your son is funny. He has a quick wit that is charming when he doesn’t use it to cut down another kid.

I admit it. At times I don’t like your son.

But he has bigger problems.

I don’t like him, but I do care about him.

Soon he will be out in the world where there will be people who neither like him nor care about him. He will be out in a world that doesn’t accept excuses or bad moods or phone calls from Mom defending poor behavior.

Please do not send him into that world unprepared.

A Concerned Teacher