Every young person should be provided the opportunity to develop skills needed for everyday life. After collaborating with Campbell County School’s District Wide Teacher of the Visually Impaired and one of Campbell County Middle School’s Special Education Teachers a new program was designed to teach basic kitchen skills to students in the special education program at Campbell County Middle School. Campbell County 4-H provided equipment, ingredients, and education. All necessary adaptations were made to both the recipe and equipment to ensure all students were able to participate and complete the recipe.

Twenty students and 10 peer mentors along with teachers and paraeducators(8) collaborated to follow the recipe, measure, mix, and bake the 4-H Cooking 201 Snickerdoodles recipe. Students learned how to follow a recipe and the proper way to measure both wet and dry ingredients.

Ten out of ten peer mentors indicated serving in a leadership role provided them with the opportunity to further develop their leadership skills and communication skills. One student participant stated, “This is the first time I have been able to measure ingredients, I didn’t know it could be this easy.” This new partnership allowed Campbell County 4-H to provide a hands-on, inclusive foods program. Campbell County 4-H will continue to provide inclusive lessons that will teach basic life skills.