LIHU‘E — The Hawai‘i 4-H program is seeking participants ages 12 to 18 years old within the state for a Virtual Cooking Challenge to support Hawai‘i’s youth during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants do not need to be 4-H members, but must be registered for the challenge to participate in the contest and receive challenge updates. Registration can be done by visiting the 4-H registration page at go.hawaii.edu/AD6. Information and registration help can also be gained by contacting the Kaua‘i 4-H Extension Agent, Hallie Cristobal, at halliec@hawaii.edu.
The video cooking contest accepts submissions through Thursday, April 30.
The goal of the challenge is for youth to create a video featuring a local commodity — plant or animal — that demonstrates the successful completion of a healthful recipe.
Entrants will participate in a county-level competition, with the county winners being selected to compete in the state competition. The state round of the challenge will feature the county winners showcasing their food photography skills.
As part of the challenge supported with resources from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa Extension Get Local program, aspiring cooks will learn food safety, kitchen skills, nutrition facts and presentation skills.
Additional information and resources can be found at go.hawaii.edu/ARN and go.hawaii.edu/wRA.
Awards for the contest are being provided by support from The Ardis Tanaka Foods and Nutrition Project Support Award.
Tanaka, a graduate of the UH-Manoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources and a member of the Hawai‘i 4-H Alumni Association, was a member of the Inspirations 4-H club and also served as a 4-H leader for the Reminiscence 4-H club for five years, where she had a lifelong impact on the lives of its eight members by helping them with various 4-H projects and guiding them through their teenage years.
When Tanaka passed in November 2009, her club members and 4-H alumni friends created a scholarship fund in her memory to support food and nutrition projects and continue her legacy of “making the best better.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
