According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2022, 20.9% of children in Webster County were living in poverty. As of the 2022-2023 school year, 414 out of 676 students qualified for free and reduced lunch at WCHS (nces.ed.gov). The school is part of the free and reduced lunch program. The APEX 2.0 coordinator reached out to the FCS Agent to request programming for the enrichment hour of the program. 

APEX 2.0 at the Webster County High School is an after school program that is implemented for students to catch up on school work, make up tests, or study. According to the APEX 2.0 coordinator, the majority of the students in the program currently stay after because of their grades being low as well as being able to be fed one more meal before heading home for the day. After the hour of study there is an hour allotted for enrichment activities. The APEX 2.0 Coordinator expressed that several of the students lack life skills in the kitchen and asked that the FCS Agent bring educational nutrition and kitchen skills programming to them at the high school.

So far we have done basic kitchen information, etiquette, kitchen tools, using small appliances such as electric pressure cookers and air fryers. They have made several NEP recipes. They will be setting their table for Thanksgiving and making their own Thanksgiving meal.
Students have expressed that they are proud to know how to cook ground meat, some had never operated an oven, stovetop, or washed dishes.
50% had not cooked ground meat before, 0% knew what an electric pressure cooker was for before the class.