Ten years ago, the Licking Memorial Health Systems (LMHS) Active•Fit program debuted as an incentivebased, goal-oriented health program to introduce children, ages 6 to 12 years, to the benefits of exercise, healthy eating, and proper rest. Graham Hannah was 7 years old when he participated in the first Active•Fit Junior Chef event. The experience sparked his interest in cooking and inspired him to enroll in the Career and Technology Education Centers (C-TEC) of Licking County in the Culinary Arts program for his junior year of high school.

“I have always had an interest in cooking and wanted to further develop those skills,” said Graham. “I enjoy trying out new things and experimenting with different foods.”

Graham’s grandmother, Micky Hannah, learned about the Junior Chef event from an ad in the newspaper. She enjoyed spending time with her grandson and thought that this program would be a fun experience for the two of them to share together.

The Active•Fit Junior Chef event is an annual event held at C-TEC and mentors children through preparing nutritious meals and snacks. C-TEC culinary students guide the Junior Chefs through demonstrations. Participants gain hands-on experience by making the recipes themselves, which are then combined into a healthy lunch and enjoyed at the conclusion of the event.

Members of the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA), an organization comprised of juniors and seniors in the culinary arts, are responsible for creating the recipes used for the event. The FCCLA’s goal is to feature fresh, wholesome ingredients in healthy and kid-friendly recipes that the Junior Chefs can make on their own or with little assistance. Each Junior Chef is accompanied by an adult, and together they rotate through five different cooking stations.

“The Active•Fit Junior Chef event was a very worthwhile experience for Graham and me,” said Micky. “It was really fun to watch Graham experience something new and see how much he enjoyed cooking.”

Graham will soon begin his senior year at C-TEC. While he will continue his studies in the Culinary Arts program, he is interested in pursuing a biology degree in college, specifically etymology, which is the study of insects. Graham is grateful for the skills that he has acquired during his time at C-TEC and will be able to apply his talents throughout his life. He enjoys cooking meals for his family and sharing his recipes with his grandmother. In his free time, Graham enjoys reading, literature, arts, and acting.

The Active•Fit program is available for youth ages 6 to 12 and features many events throughout the year, including Junior Chef. During each period, the child will select four “Active” goals and four “Fit” category goals that may be completed during the 4-month timeframe. Each goal is documented online by the participant at ActiveFit.org under the supervision of a parent, guardian, or mentor. When all goals have been accomplished for each period, the youth participant automatically will be entered into a drawing for great prizes. Program registration is available online at ActiveFit.org. For questions, please contact the Licking Memorial Public Relations Department at (220) 564-1560.