Carthage, IL — June 2–6 — Ten young chefs entering 4th and 5th grades recently completed 4-H Cooking 101 School, a hands-on, multi-day program held at Memorial Hospital. Hosted in partnership with the Memorial Hospital Health & Wellness team, the program introduced participants to the building blocks of healthy eating and safe food preparation.
Throughout the program, youth learned about nutrition, kitchen safety, and basic cooking techniques. Sessions covered topics like proper handwashing, how to safely use knives and appliances, and how to handle and prepare foods like fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, and dairy.
“Our goal was to give kids the confidence to navigate the kitchen safely while understanding the importance of nutritious food choices,” said Madeline Davis, Hancock County 4-H Program Coordinator.
In addition to hands-on cooking skills, participants explored the importance of shared meals and quality time around the table through activities from the Family Dinner Project, made possible by a grant from the Tracy Family Foundation. These lessons encouraged youth to take what they learned in the kitchen and apply it to meaningful connections at home.
The program concluded with a special culminating event, where participants showcased what they learned by preparing and serving food for invited guests—including family members and residents from Hickory Grove Apartments. It was a proud and delicious celebration of their new skills!
4-H Cooking 101 School is part of a broader effort to help youth be “beyond ready” by providing them with practical life skills in a fun and supportive environment. This program is offered each summer for any student entering 4th and 5th grades who has not participated previously.
For more information about 4-H in Hancock County, contact Madeline Davis at 217-357-2150 or [email protected]. For information about Memorial Hospital, contact Ashlyn Housewright, Executive Director of Community Health & Wellness, at 217-357-6540.
About Extension: University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state’s land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.
Photo Caption: Participants created “Veggie Pizzas”, a delicious and nutritious recipe from the 4-H Cooking 101 project manual. Each participant chose their own toppings, and many tried new vegetables for the first time!
