According to the American Heart Association, teaching youth how to prepare their own food will give them a skill they can use for a lifetime, they will be more likely to eat healthier as adults, and build self-confidence. (Cooking With Your Children; Web MD; May 30, 2008.).  In March 2020, Fleming Schools switched to a Non-Traditional Instruction (NTI) format due to the Coronavirus Pandemic to finish their course work.  

During the period of "NTI" and virtual learning, the Fleming County 4-H Program worked diligently with local teachers to offer programs that could directly impact and enhance student at home learning.  As a result, the Fleming County 4-H Program began to offer the 4-H Social Media Baking Challenge in which two weekly recipes were posted to the county 4-H Facebook Page, one for advanced and one for beginner bakers.   Students would then have the entire week to prepare one of the weekly recipes in their own home at their convenience with their families. Once a student completed a recipe, they could submit their photos to their teacher and to the local 4-H Facebook page for posting and recognition.  All students that participated for the week would be included in a drawing for prizes the following week.

The 4-H Social Media Baking Challenge was extremely successful with over 50 youth from the county participating at least one time in the program.  Local teachers utilized the program to allow their students to substitute for one day of their Math homework stating “participating in real life experiences such as the 4-H social media bake allows students to use math skills learned in the classroom such as fractions and conversions in an application format.  It takes abstract concepts and allows students to use them in concrete situations.”.  One parent stated that their youth " had some semblance of normal by being able to participate in the 4-H baking challenge during the Covid-19 pandemic.  It offered an opportunity for them to do something together as a family while doubling as school work application."