First Time Eating a Steak:

courtney01320
Mar 24
2 min read

Do you remember the first time you ate a steak?

There’s something about it that feels a little more grown up. It’s not a typical meal for a child, and for many young people it becomes a small but meaningful milestone.

One of our middle school students recently had that experience.

At the Quarter 2 celebration, a sixth-grade student named Xzavier decided to order something he had never tried before—his very first steak.

Xzavier stepped into a new experience. He was at first hesitant about how to order a steak. What does it mean by medium, medium rare, or well done? Going with medium rare, he was incredibly surprised to find out how much he enjoyed it. His face lit up when he ate the first bite, and he stated that he loved it! He had a bit left over at the end of the dinner, but he was able to enjoy his leftovers. (Leftovers he wasn’t willing to share with family.)

Because of Xavier’s hard work in school and his dedication to The Job Foundation program, he was able to try something new—something that felt just a little more grown up.

Three times each year, The Job Foundation middle school scholars are invited to dine at Montage, a fine dining restaurant in downtown Cedar Falls. Montage generously provides a complimentary meal because they recognize the importance of academic achievement, strong school attendance, and the value of our financial literacy program.

This invitation is reserved for students in our program who earn A’s and B’s in their classes. Students are also recognized for outstanding achievements like straight A’s or perfect attendance during the quarter.

This dinner is more than a meal. It’s an experience. Our students enjoy trying the restaurant’s refreshing lemonades, tasting new dishes, and spending time together with peers and mentors from The Job Foundation community. It has become a program highlight for our middle school scholars.

Moments like Xzavier’s remind us why the work matters.

The Job Foundation is committed to creating opportunities and new experiences for young people in Waterloo—moments that celebrate their achievements, build confidence, and encourage them to keep striving for success.