Staff photos / J.T. Whitehouse Austintown Local School District public relations specialist Brittany Morell serves a special lunch box to eighth-grade teacher Courtney O’Connell during Teacher Appreciation Day on Friday from the district’s new food truck that also is part of a state grant that will offer a new class for Fitch students.

AUSTINTOWN — School district officials unveiled a brand new food truck Friday that delivered a box lunch to teachers at all campus buildings for Teacher Appreciation Day, but its mission is much bigger than satisfying hunger.

The food truck is part of a state grant that will offer a new class for Austintown Fitch High School students. It was purchased through a 100% grant written by the district’s pupil services director, Jeff Swavel, who was able to secure more than $900,000 to enhance the district’s career technical training classes.

“The grant helped us with our skilled trades classes,” Swavel said.

Part of the grant went into a welding program for Fitch students. Another plan for the grant funds was to enhance the food services programs, but the original idea didn’t pan out.

“We originally wanted to take a classroom at Fitch and turn it into a kitchen-restaurant setting,” Swavel said. “Unfortunately, trying to convert a 1968 classroom just didn’t pan out.”

He said that is when the food truck idea emerged. Swavel started doing research and had a lot of trouble finding a district that was using one for training.

“The only curriculum we could find (in Ohio) was at Cleveland State University,” Swavel said. “Their program was in the adult education classes.”

He said one high school in Charlotte, North Carolina, was using a food truck to teach high school students.

After getting some details on curriculum, a food truck was located and purchased for $130,000. The truck was used, but only had 1,000 miles on it. Inside, the truck was outfitted with a full mobile kitchen, including a fryer, sinks and grill. It was sent to the Fitch Falcon Media department, where the graphics were designed and painted on the truck.

On Friday, the truck was used for the first time to bring box lunches to the teachers.

“This is a fun and meaningful way to recognize our staff while also highlighting an exciting new opportunity for our students,” said Superintendent Timothy Kelty.

Kelty and Swavel were on hand for the event and took the truck from Austintown Middle School to Fitch, then on to the elementary and intermediate buildings.

As for the class, Swavel said 60 students are signed up for the new Food Truck Business and Culinary Management class this fall. He said a professional chef from the Springfield Grille was hired to teach the two classes, which will include menu planning, food purchasing and storage, food safety, and the business and financial aspect. It will give students hands-on experience in both culinary arts and business operations.

Swavel said the food truck possibilities are endless. He said it could be used at Fitch sporting events, could be used during the Fourth of July Parade, and could even be used at the Canfield Fair.

“We’ll probably start small with burgers and fries, then expand to whatever the kids decide on,” Swavel said.