Cooking teacher gets Rachel Ray surprise

FRANKFORD - March 30, 2010 (WPVI) -- You think Wilma Stephenson would have figured out something was up Tuesday at Frankford High. There were cameramen from the Rachel Ray show at center court and construction workers in the corner.

But the culinary arts teacher thought they were all there at a pep rally to honor the cheerleading squad she coaches, who just made state champs.

But then Rachael Ray popped up on video. Guess who's getting a brand new kitchen?

Ray sent design expert Carter Osterhouse to lead a team of local construction workers.

But no one knows more about makeovers than Wilma Stephenson, who has spent 41 years at Frankford High.

Last year the documentary "Pressure Cooker" showed how she deals with kids from rough streets and trying homes.

Stephenson is strong medicine but she gets results, pushing her kids to $4 million in cooking scholarships over the last twenty years.

Today those kids saw something for the first time: Wilma Stephenson crying.

Stephenson has called out only once in 40 years, and won't be breaking that streak anytime soon.

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philadelphia, pennsylvania, school, local/state, tamala edwards

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