Kids cooking up a storm at Youth Center

  • Published
  • By Nick Stubbs
  • 6th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
MacDill AFB, Fla. --  At this time of year the kitchen of many homes becomes the focal point, cranking out cookies, cakes, pies and holiday meals. And thanks to a new 4-H cooking class running at the MacDill Youth Center, some three-dozen children will be able to help mom or dad with the cooking chores this season. 

The class, which began in September, is the result of a survey done at the center to determine what kinds of activities kids wanted to have.
"They told us they wanted to cook," said Cynthia Washington, assistant director at the center and head of the cooking class. 

The class is broken into three groups: elementary-, middle- and high-school level students from 9 to 18. The course is designed to cover everything from the basics of sanitation and health, to menu planning, recipe construction and preparation. The most recent cooking event was a holiday cookie bake, held last week. 

"They really enjoy it," said Ms. Washington. "It's one of the more popular activities."
The class uses the learning room at the Youth Center to gather, go over recipes and learn the ins and outs of food handling and preparation. The small kitchen at the center can only accommodate four students at a time, so they are rotated in shifts to try their hands with the appliances. 

"We have so much fun," said Brianna Thompson, 11, who jumped at the chance to join the cooking class. "I like the sweets - cookies and things like that, and I like when we all sit around and talk about recipes and ingredients we are going to use."
And it's not just the girls who like to cook. Dalton Jarrison, 11, like to help his dad and grandmother in the kitchen, and he's picking up the skills he needs to be a better helper.
"I'm learning a lot," he said. "It's fun to get together with other kids your age and bake cookies and cakes." 

Ms. Washington said the plan is to take what the children have learned and compile a recipe book at the end of the next school year. If all goes well, it could be ready in time for next Christmas.