Hart County High School is focusing on career and work place readiness as well as developing life skills for all students.  The high school contacted the 4-H Youth Development agent to collaborate with the school on offering mock interviews for all students as well as to work with the Functional Mental Disability (FMD) Class to offer a nutrition and cooking class.  

The goal of the nutrition and cooking class was to teach the FMD class basic skills in preparing their own meals or snacks and to have a better understanding of what would be considered health food.  

Seven Functional Mental Disabled students participated in an educational program learning to prepare pumpkin muffins, fruit tortillas and smoothies.  The students range from ages 15-18 and both males and females participated in the educational program.  The 4-H Youth Development Agent and 4-H Program Assistant taught basic measuring skills, how to use cooking equipment, food safety procedures and how to prepare each item.  

The youth demonstrated correct measuring techniques, proper use of a knife, spoon, a can opener and a blender.  Each student was able to mix their own ingredients and with a small assistance from an adult they were able to prepare and bake their own muffins, prepare their own fruit tortilla and smoothie.  

The students were so excited about the nutrition and cooking class that one student said “I can’t wait to go home and fix this for my mom”. Another student said “This has been a great day”.   The day was such a success that future classes are being scheduled for next year.