OLATHE, Kan. -- Some Olathe North High School students are heading to the kitchen as they head back to school.

The young "foodies," as they call themselves, learn the fine art of food preparation in the state-of-the-art commercial kitchens at the school.

"We light a fire under these kids, and get a little bit of passion going. This is a beautiful playground for these kids," said Mike Chrostowski, chef at Olathe North.

Teachers in the program offer the same instruction taught at the famed Cordon Bleu in France. Juniors and seniors in the program not only learn the fundamentals of cooking, they cater actual events and run a real restaurant.

"It shows me what I'm going to be getting into, how serious it's going to be, and what I'm going to have to do, the work that's going to go into it," student Kaitlyn McKissick said. "It's given me an eye-opener, so I know what to expect. It's going to be really awesome."

The culinary arts program at Olathe North is part of the 21st Century High School Programs offered in several schools in the district. Other programs include:

• Aerospace & Engineering
• Biotechnology/Life Sciences
• Business/Entrepreneurship
• Computer Systems Networking
• Culinary Arts
• Computer and Software Engineering (CaSE)
• Distinguished Scholar Program
• e-Communication
• Early Childhood Career Opportunities (ECCO)
• Environmental Design
• Fine Arts
• Geosciences
• Health Careers
• International Studies
• Landscape Science
• OlaTHE LEADERShip Studies
• Professional Careers Academy (PCA)
• Sports Medicine and Athletic Training

For more information on the 21st Century Programs, visit the Olathe School District Web site.