East Texas Review » Gorman Brown

Culinary crown

Joycelyne Fadojutimi — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 22:09:39 +0000

Gorman Brown is a Longview native and senior-to-be in Longview High School (LHS,) and has been making her city and alma mater proud with her achievements in academics and community service. She is aiming for a collegiate career at Texas A&M, where she looks to study Animal and Human Sciences with double minors in Italian language and Equine Science.
For the moment, though, she has her eye on the present. She has just won the 2011 Junior Culinarian of the Year award while representing the mid-East Texas chapter of the Texas Chefs Association (TCA.)
“I have always loved to cook,” she said. “I had an Easy Bake Oven as a little girl, and used it till it broke down.”
She has a drive for the kitchen because of the healthy meals she prepares for her mother, Kim Brown, director of marketing at Longview Regional Medical Center.
Gorman’s part-time job at Cook’s Nook gives her access to the American Culinary Federation (ACF) and the TCA. She became a member of both organizations, and met some interesting people such as LHS culinary instructor Vickie Trammel, who taught her knife skills and food temperatures.
“She [Trammel] is a lot of fun. She pushes all of us because she knows we have potential,” said Brown.
This new knowledge came in handy during competition with well-known Dallas culinary schools.
“I am real proud of what our school did,” she said. “Just competing with the schools in Dallas was no small feat.”
The unique aspect of Brown’s award is that its winners are normally college students. She is the only active high school student member of the Texas Culinary Chefs in the East Texas region.
She foresees a busy future with careers both in the culinary arts and animal and human sciences.
She is also a busy lady at LHS. She is a three-year member of the student council, two-year member of the Z-Club, two-year member and vice-president of the LHS chapter of Future Farmers of America and Agriculture.
Apart from her membership in the Texas Chefs’ Association & American Culinary Federation, she is a distinguished alumnus of National Youth Leadership Forum, and a member of the National Society of High School Scholars.
Gorman pursues her volunteer work through the following organizations–Longview Regional Medical Center’s events, Stars over Longview, Healthy Woman, Hospital Week, Family Night, various walks, Windridge Therapeutic Equestrian Center, American Heart Association heart walks, Lifepoint Christian Church, as a First Christian Church day camp counselor, and the Longview Historic Downtown Farmer’s Market.
With her senior year looming Gorman plans to live out the tradition of attending Texas A&M University. She credits her parents for helping her to be the best she can be. She also thanks the TCA and ACF for providing the opportunities she has received.

Gorman Brown, Junior Culinarian of the Year, with mother, Kim Brown, marketing director, Longview Regional Medical Center

Chicken business

Joycelyne Fadojutimi — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 03:29:02 +0000

Longview High School students, Gorman Brown, Jose Serrano, Alexandra Furtney and several others participated in the recent Gregg County Harvest Festival and Livestock Show.
Brown had planned to show rimonabant sale a lamb but heeded her teacher’s advice to show a chicken. “It was a lot of work and responsibility,” she said. “We took turns, feeding and watering them. We cleaned the coup and walked the chickens.”
“Taking care of chickens is an everyday affair,” Serrano said. “Even if you have other things to do, the chickens come first. It is like taking care of your own child.” Alexandra Furtney buying medicine online their friend showed a picnic table she built.
Leadership skills and strong work ethic are among the skills students learn from their agri-science project.

Gorman Brown explores medicine

ETR Staff Report — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 21:10:38 +0000

By Anne Hestand/ETR

Not your typical High School Junior, Gorman Brown, of Longview High School has spent her summer volunteering, meeting new people, traveling and learning more about her passion, medicine and food.

Gorman was recently selected to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine in Houston, Texas. She was the only student from the City of Longview to attend. The 10-day forum introduced students to a variety of concepts in public health, medical ethics, research and general practice including visits to medical facilities and clinics. Selected on her academic excellence, leadership potential and interest in medicine as a career, Gorman is looking forward to bright future. “The medical Forum at NYFL was a great experience,” she said. “It really opened my eyes to a wealth of opportunities in the medical field.”

She prepared for the forum by learning about and researching significant current issues and trends in the field of medicine, medical discoveries and health care issues that affect our daily lives.

While there, Gorman participated in Problem Based Learning situations, including a mock bus crash disaster, disaster triage and debates on medical ethics with practicing physicians. “The National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine creates a virtual classroom with Hospitals, clinical facilities and healthcare professionals. By shadowing key personnel, these students will have a great opportunity to gain a behind-the-scenes perspective on a medical career,” said Dr. Marguerite C. Regan, NYFL Dean of Academic Affairs.

“I really am going to miss the friends and connections I made while at NYLF. I met so many great people” Gorman said and knows she now has added skills and knowledge to make well-informed career and educational choices for her future.

Moreover, Gorman has a great sense of the value of community involvement and the importance of giving back as well. As a volunteer, she reflects her passion for animals and food. Before attending the NYLF/MED she spent Saturday mornings volunteering at the Historical Farmers Market in Longview and helping with cooking demos. She loves to cook and had the opportunity to attend the American Chef’s Association’s State Convention. Gorman says her love of cooking began at an early age, but continued even after the light bulb burned out on her easy bake oven as a child!

In addition, she loves animals, especially horses. She has spent past summers as a volunteer at the Windridge Therapeutic Equestrian Center of East Texas. According to Gorman, she loves watching kids interface with the horses and seeing kids free from their handicaps and knowing they are safe.

As she looks to the future, Gorman is excited about the upcoming school year and the challenges it holds. She hopes to combine her passion for food and animals and looks to studying horticulture and equine science at Texas A and M University. Her ultimate goal is to work at a horse clinic in South Texas and cater on the side.

Gorman is grateful to family and friends who bankrolled her trip to Houston and support her every endeavor. She promises she will “strive to do whatever it takes to attain her goals.”