An after-school program (ASP) owned and managed by Paul Jewett of Ryegate has been providing valuable programs and activities for schoolchildren from Blue Mountain School, Newbury Elementary School, and now Bradford Elementary School (BES). The program is known as The Land Learn Fly Inc. Program (LLFI).

It meets at all three locations, depending upon the activity. Recently, a large group of students met at the BES, tied on their aprons, and got to work making mini pizzas under the watchful professional eyes of BES Chef Billy Brigtsen.

He managed the scene with the help of some of the ASP staff as they watched the children mix and prepare a superb sourdough for the afternoon, constructing pizzas with Chef Brigtsen’s kitchen mastery and their own little doughy hands.

Jewett told me he had been trying to put together a cooking program across the three school locations for the past few years. He said two opportunities related to this effort came up simultaneously: “We started a new ASP in Bradford late last August, and we sat down in September with the head of food services., Billy Brigtsen, to discuss the process of making this happen in early 2026.”

Jewett said he also became aware of a generous Foundation Grant that Community Bank was offering to local nonprofit businesses. Jewett said he filled out the application, targeting the costs they thought would be incurred to make the cooking program a reality, including staffing, ingredients, and any necessary food prep equipment for the children.

Towards the end of 2025, he was informed that the program would be awarded $ 3,000.00 through the Foundation grant to cover its costs. So, they scheduled the program to begin in Bradford in January, and it ran for seven weeks on Monday or Tuesday afternoons in the cafeteria/kitchen at BES. It was a great program, he said, and the kids loved it.

Another cool part of the cooking program is that one of the big hits of Jewett’s ASP is something he calls “What do I want to be when I grow up?”

For this interesting program, Jewett brought in a variety of community folks in the past to talk to the kids about their job experiences. The cooking program at the BES, for instance, Jewett says, “we were highlighting an important position at BES and opening children’s eyes that you can make a living in the food prep industry.”

The Bradford program was a great success in its first year of operation! “We are fortunate to have strong support from the principal, Edith Fogarty, Darlene Sanborn, Family Community Coordinator, and Sarah Welch, Administrative Assistant,” Jewett said. The staff at LLFI in Bradford has developed into a highly effective and professional team that supports 25+ students daily, Jewett told me this week.

Chef Brigtsen told me that the sourdough pizza class was fun. He said that from there the program moves on to other kitchen projects. Crepes and dosas, big full salads, quick vegetable soups. He said he also “likes the lulls during classes, as it allows them to look at all the kitchen appliances and equipment and then ask a lot of questions.”

Also sharing comments on the ASP, BES Principal Edith Fogarty said the Land Learn Fly Program has been a welcome addition at the school. “It provides dependable. high-quality after school care for Bradford Elementary School students. The program provides a supportive atmosphere for students to complete their homework, and encourages collaboration, creativity and cooperation. I am grateful to Mr. Jewett and his team for providing this program at our school,” she told me.

Jewett also reported that “We are also going to use our Bradford location for our five and one-half week summer program running from June 22, 2026, to July 31, 2026. We still have some spots available, but they are going fast. He said if anyone is interested, please contact either Theresa Rouelle at trouellellfi@gmail.com or pjewettllfi@gmail.com.

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