From the Kitchen to the Capital
Senior Balances Culinary Craft, SkillsUSA Leadership and Coaching
For Taunton High School senior Logan Rebello, what began as a love for cooking at home has grown into a journey that reaches far beyond the kitchen.
The culinary arts student from Berkley spends much of his school day in the bustling Tiger Den restaurant or serving customers on the Tiger Truck food truck. But his story is also about finding his voice, first as a state SkillsUSA parliamentarian and now as the national Region 1 vice president.
“I was the kind of student who never really wanted to be in the classroom,” Rebello said. “I’ve always gotten good grades, but I didn’t feel excited about school until career and technical education gave me purpose. Culinary felt like me. I like to talk to people, to work with my hands and to be part of a busy kitchen where there’s always something to do.”
As he developed his culinary chops, Rebello became known for his desserts, from high-detail sugar cookies decorated with literary themes to the program’s signature homemade peanut butter cups. He credits Taunton’s culinary educators – Sarah Gibson, his advisor, and Baylee Mello, a 2015 graduate who went on to the Culinary Institute of America – for helping him find his niche and build his technical skills.
“My favorite part is that everybody has a story and their own way of doing something in the kitchen,” said Rebello, who spends many afternoons in the back of the kitchen with a piping pipe in hand. “Sharing that makes culinary feel like a conversation.”
That sense of connection also drew him to SkillsUSA Massachusetts. Rebello recalled his first fall leadership conference as a sophomore, which occurred on his 16th birthday. “Honestly, I didn’t want to be there,” he said with a laugh. “But then the state president (Kallie Allen) sat down with me, studied with me, and made me feel valued. That moment changed everything. I thought, ‘I want to do for others what she did for me.’”
Advocating for students and CTE
From there, Rebello was elected state parliamentarian as a junior; this year, he serves thousands of students across the Northeast (from Maine to Maryland) as national Region 1 vice president. He recently returned from the Washington Leadership Training Institute in the nation’s capital, where he met with state and federal leaders to advocate on important issues for CTE students - including access to co-ops. Based on his family’s deep military connections, he also was honored to be selected for the national organization’s opportunity to lay a wreath at Arlington National Cemetery.
From a personal perspective, Rebello points to a federal law that restricts those under age 18 - like him - from operating commercial stand mixers, which are a primary piece of equipment in a bakery. “If I can’t use that mixer, who’s going to hire me? It diminishes the whole point of cooperative education experiences,” he said, noting that he already demonstrated how to use it safely in the classroom. “Being able to advocate for those changes means a lot for me, because I know that there's so many students who feel that same frustration.”
Going to Washington, D.C. was designed to open meaningful doors and start important conversations with leaders, particularly as the hiring gap continues across many technical fields. “When we’re in meetings,” he added, “it’s ‘how can we work together with you on this?’”
Weeks went into studying briefing materials and preparing for the trip. “I couldn’t be more excited to inspire members hands-on,” Rebello said. “That’s why I ran for office – to have those conversations that make students feel seen and supported.”
Enjoying his senior year
Beyond school and SkillsUSA duties, Rebello coaches volleyball at Four Kicks in Taunton, working with athletes ages 9 to 16. Giving up playing himself due to other responsibilities, he now writes training plans, runs practice and cheers from the sidelines as his players advance. “What’s really cool is seeing kids I started with as beginners now stepping onto varsity courts,” he said. “One of my players went from JV to a varsity starter in a matter of weeks. Being part of their growth is so rewarding.”
As graduation approaches, Rebello is reflecting on what comes next. Though his culinary training has given him lifelong skills – not to mention a way to support himself through college – he’s discovered another passion in political science and communications. “As much as I love cooking, I can always do that on my own,” he said. “But through SkillsUSA, I’ve learned I love public speaking, traveling and teaching people how to connect. I want to use those skills to make an impact.”
Rebello carries with him a constant reminder from his SkillsUSA mentors: Remember where you come from. The phrase appears on his phone’s lock screen, and that grounds him when the travel, speeches and responsibilities start to pile up.
“I joined the officer program to make others feel the way I felt when someone believed in me,” he said. “That’s what keeps me going. Someone did it for me. Now, it’s my turn to do it for someone else.”