CHEPC Hosts Youth Cookie Bake-Off Focused on Food Science, Teamwork & Community Learning

Christian Home Educators of Paulding County (CHEPC) recently hosted a Cookie Bake-Off for local students at the Paulding County OSU Extension’s commercial kitchen, offering a hands-on learning experience centered on food science, kitchen safety, teamwork, and creativity.

The event began with an educational session led by Emma Horstman and Erika Johanns with Family & Consumer Sciences, with support from Michael Schweinsberg with 4-H Youth Development, where students learned essential food safety practices, proper measuring techniques, and how ingredients work together to create successful baked goods.

Following the lesson, students were divided into teams and challenged to develop their own cookie recipes using a variety of “mystery ingredients,” including unlabeled extracts and surprise mix-ins. Teams worked together to measure, mix, bake, and manage their time, all under adult supervision in a commercial kitchen setting.

Cookies were evaluated by Family & Consumer Sciences judges, with awards presented for Most Creative, Best Overall, and Best Teamwork.

The event was made possible through the generosity of families, local businesses, and community members who donated ingredients, supplies, and prizes. Donors included Maid to Achieve, Sweet A.S. Cakes, Jessica Doctor, Rhonda Bakle, Jeremy and Jessica Goyings, and Scott and Jill Strahley.

CHEPC is a local group of families that meets regularly to provide educational, social, and enrichment opportunities for home-educated students throughout Paulding County.