BLUFFTON, OH (WLIO) - We introduce you to Bluffton High Schooler Dillon Watkins as the OhioMeansJobs Student Employee of the Month.
Watkins grew up watching cooking shows with his dad and experimenting in the kitchen, which sparked his love for cooking.
It's fast-paced and sometimes seems chaotic, but Dillon Watkins wouldn't have it any other way. Watkins grew up watching cooking shows with his dad and experimenting in the kitchen, which sparked his love for cooking.
"I like cooking. I've always had a passion in it, and working there it's intense because we get a lot of checks, and we get real busy, and it's fun. I like working with a lot of the foods and stuff we create and learning how to better my culinary art skills," stated Dillon Watkins, OhioMeansJobs Student Employee of the Month.
He attends classes at Bluffton High School, plays esports, and spends most of his time working at Kira's Flipside Grill in downtown Bluffton, putting in 30 to 35 hours a week in the kitchen.
"Dillon is a lot of fun to work with. He's got a great sense of humor. He is training to be on the grill, and he's really an all-around jack of all trades back here. I can put him on any station for the most part, and he's got the initiative to do it, which you don't see that much anymore," said Justin Clark, head chef at Kira's Flipside Grill.
School administrators say Watkins is an exemplary student and brings a lot to the classroom.
"I get a number of different comments from them on some of the different things he's able to share and just be able to enrich the class. So he's a joy to have here," commented Mike Minnig, principal at Bluffton High School.
School administrators say Watkins is an exemplary student and brings a lot to the classroom.
OhioMeansJobs matches students up with career coaches to assist them in planning life after high school.
"We want to come in and remind these kids that we are their job coach for life. No matter what career path they want to go into, whether that's a skilled trade. Whether that's straight into the workforce or a two-year or four-year institute. We want to remind these kids we're here for them," said Tyler Christoff, OhioMeansJobs High School Jobs Coach.
Watkins is looking forward to taking his culinary skills to the next level.
"I'm looking at CIA, which is like the Culinary Institute of America, and then there's also Columbus's State College that's got a brand new kitchen," added Watkins.
Congratulations to Dillon Watkins, your January OhioMeansJobs Student Employee of the Month.
