Did you know that a lot of teens and young adults don’t know how to properly cook for themselves? On December 18, 2024, the Spencer County 4-H cooking club conducted a festive meeting to teach kids how to make drinks in a fun way. As it was also one of the first meets, the members chose who would be their next board leaders. After some deliberation, the roles were set like this: Avery as the president; Gen as the Vice president; Adalynn as the secretary; Ariah as the reporter; and Andrea as the activity leader. After that was done with, the kids got to learn how to go about measuring various ingredients. Of course this was done in a fun way, with the final creations being a sweet batch of “Grinch Punch” and delicious proportions of hot chocolate that the kids got to take home to their families.

This activity was very important to the kids involved. It was important because it taught them how to do simple tasks such as converting gallons into ounces, how to half recipes, and how to correctly measure ingredients. These skills will help them to make food for themselves and others in the future, which is necessary to do things such as running a household. The activity also made them have accuracy, which is essential for any type of cooking or baking.  The next time members will get to learn more important abilities will be January 15, 2024.

Written by Ariah Recktenwald

It is important for young children to express themselves through creativity and imagination. This is why on December 16, 2024, 11 kids got to make striking cork boards in the 4-H art club. They were first given their own choice of patterned fabrics, which were then attached to a canvas. After the construction, the club members got to have fun adding as much detail and color as they pleased, such as peacock feathers or ribbon. The activity was perfect for all ages, and everyone had lots of fun. The final products were eye-catching and interesting and will make wonderful additions to the rooms of many Spencer County kids.

It is important for kids to do activities such as this to express themselves because it teaches them to cater to their person, instead of making things only for others to enjoy. Creating art like the cork boards helps children learn the things that they like, so that they can do things in the future that make them happy. Helping children in areas like these is what the art club strives to do, and the next chance for members to make an extravagant masterpiece is on January 13, 2024, at the extension office. On that day everyone will have the opportunity to make another lovely art piece that showcases their heart.

Written by Ariah Recktenwald

Being able to safely handle a knife is a very important skill for a child’s future. During the last meeting of the 4-H cooking club on January 15, the members got to further these necessary skills by chopping vegetables. While two kids worked on homemade ranch and Italian dressing, the rest of the 15 members that attended prepared various foods for a salad. They all did a very good job on their objectives, and they had fun doing it. After everything was ready to be eaten, it was put out in separate bowls to create a salad bar. With this, the kids got to have a fun and nutritious snack. All of the members were quite happy with the results of their hard work, and they left knowing that they provided for themselves and each other in a fun and healthy way.

On February 18, 2025, another meeting will be taking place at the Spencer County Extension office. On that day, we will have another exciting and engaging activity planned, to help better our members' cooking skills and let them have fun doing it.

Written by Ariah Recktenwald

One of the most important parts of the culinary experience is plating. Plating is the act of situating all the different foods on your plate into a visually appealing masterpiece. Yesterday, on March 19, the kids in the 4-H Cooking Club learned how to properly prepare their plates into a sensational display. Four high school students in the culinary class, along with their teacher, Mrs. Roberts, came along to teach the next generation of chefs their plating techniques, and the results were beautiful! To start off, the members were shown how to use special cutters and how to carve a strawberry into different shapes, then they were given their choice of snack cakes, fruits, and berries. Using a snack cake at the center piece, they arranged their supplies into different shapes, paying close attention to how the different colors and textures would work together. Everyone had so much fun with their creations, and they all looked remarkably amazing.

Plating is an important skill for these kids to learn because a lot of them want to be bakers or chefs in the future. To make their foods more desirable, they will need to know how to decorate sweets and treats to their fullest potential. Knowing their way around a plate will also help them excel in Mrs. Robert’s class when they eventually get there. All of the members in the cooking club have a bright future in the cooking industry, and the last meeting sure proved it. At the next meeting, the kids will get a chance to prove themselves even more, as we will be showing off our skills to a panel of judges. The junior members will bring a dish they made from home, while the seniors will have thirty minutes to cook a meal on set. It will be so much fun! The meeting will be on the 16th of April, and I wish everyone luck on their efforts! 

Written by Ariah Recktenwald

Abstract art can mean many things to many people, and it can represent anything you want it to. At the last art club meeting, the kids got to play around with various paint colors and tools to make their own abstract art, and they certainly exceeded in creating colorful concoctions. They used two unconventional instruments, one being a marble and the other shaving cream. To make their marble installation, they were first dunked in paint. Then the kids rolled them around on a paper, making swirly designs in all the colors of the rainbow. Once they were satisfied with their paintings, they moved on to covering a tin pan with shaving cream before drizzling it with paint. They pressed their papers into their pan, scraped the access shaving cream off it, and then marveled at their masterpieces. The finished results were extravagant, including marvelous arrays of colors and beautiful patterns sure to make your head turn.

Making these fun creations was important for the members because it allowed them to express themselves in any way they choose. They got to pick their colors and arrange them how they liked on their papers. It allowed them to show off their personalities and their creativity, which is always a fun thing to do. The project let them have a moment of silly unseriousness in the mix of homework and other duties that  the end of the school year brings. Our next chance for a break in the hustle that summer drives will be on March 31, 2025, when we will be making creations out of clay! Everyone will be able to make such fun little figures, and it’ll be amazing to see!

Written by Ariah Recktenwald