April 29, 2021 

Granbury High School students competed at a state barbecue competition on April 23-24, 2021, at the John L. Kuykendall Arena & Events Center in Llano. 

Competing was the “Seriously Smokin’” squad composed of culinary students Nate Franzmathes, Maddy Hidalgo, Aubrey Kirby, and Alaina Woycenko. 

The team advanced from regional competition on April 9 at Mansfield ISD in the Texas High School BBQ contest, which requires teams to prepare chicken, ribs, brisket, beans, and dessert. 

This cross-curricular project stems from a 2018 grant from the Granbury ISD Education Foundation to help teach planning, teamwork, and communication in multi-faceted groups. 

The metal fabrication classes designed and created the smoker on a trailer using a variety of techniques and tools.  Culinary students were tasked with learning various cuts of different proteins, different cook times and flavor profiles, and using the smoker for events and contest.  Finally, advertising, entrepreneurship, and marketing dynamics students determine business costs and profit margins to use for a cookout as well as advertise the product and identify potential customers that like different products. 

Pictured at the state contest with shirts sponsored by Stumpy’s Lakeside Grill are (left to right) Alaina Woycenko, Maddy Hidalgo, Nate Franzmathes, and Aubrey Kirby.