As you walked down the long winding hallways of the Jerome Hotel, the mixed smell of chipotle spices, chocolate, and raspberry ice-cream was overwhelming.  But once you got into the room of the Chocolate Classic, where the chocolates were being presented, there wasn’t even the slightest place for disappointment.

The Chocolate Classic gave more than thirty amateur and professional contestants the opportunity to show off their best chocolate desserts.  They were able to compete for two awards: the Peoples’ Choice Award and the Judges’ Award, which meant that they would be named 2014’s Best Chocolate Dessert. It was also an incredible way to help support RESPONSE, a group that provides services for victims of domestic violence and sexual crimes.  In order to attend the event, adults paid $25 and people younger than eighteen paid $20.  There was also a VIP party that included drinks, appetizers, a DJ, and an early entry to the event for $75.

Aspen High School’s ProStart Team teamed up with Cache Cache to make Louisiana style chocolate turtle with a pecan shortbread cookie.  They then frosted their cookies with a sweet chocolate frosting and added a caramel sauce to top it off.  They made the dough in the Cache Cache kitchen, but finished it up in our very own ProStart kitchen.  The ProStart students love to be a part of these events because it allows them to publicize the AHS ProStart name.

“I like doing this since it supports a good organization and I like to give back to the community because they do so much for us.  I also like to make food and show my culinary skills to the public,” senior and ProStart student Jennifer Coombe said.

This year, going along with the chocolate theme, AHS was also able to debut the chocolate themed play Willy Wonka.  The play will be performed March 7 ^th through 9^th.

“It worked very nicely with both the play and the Classic and everyone really seemed to enjoy it!” senior Emery Major said.  “I absolutely loved performing. It was so much fun to sort of ‘debut’ Willy Wonka.”

Not only did the star of the show, Major as Wonka, enjoy it but so did the crowd.  Plenty of people gathered in a very small area leaving the actors and actresses only a couple of feet to perform.

Unlike most of the actors/actresses performing, Major was not only there to perform.  He is also part of the ProStart team and played a crucial role in developing their dessert.

“My favorite part of the Classic was really the whole atmosphere, and the people who attended. It was really amazing of them to let us perform there, and the chefs who participated were astonishing! The whole event worked so well and brought the community together. Also, the chocolate wasn’t that bad either,” Major said with a smile.

The entire event was an outstanding success. It raised money for RESPONSE, filled empty stomachs, debuted Willy Wonka, and created smiling faces.

“The reason I came to this event is because I wanted to donate to the awesome cause of RESPONSE and taste the amazing chocolate,” senior Lindsay Davis said. “And I ended up having a fantastic time.”