Molly Bhuiyan was a boisterous but rather unfocused freshman at Manhattan Center for Science & Mathematics when she interviewed to participate in FamilyCook Productions’ Teen Battle Chef (TBC) Summer Intern Brigade. Teen Battle Chef Mentors, Jessica Scheer and Hayden Maloney, undergraduate students in public health, were not convinced Molly would make the cut for the program that promoted leadership among students who had taken the Teen Battle Chef course at their high school as part of HealthCorps. But as they completed their selection of 19 students who would be matched to food industry partners for summer jobs experience and contribute healthy cooking skills in the food deserts where they live, they decided to take a chance on Molly.

By June 12, wearing her “Stirring Up Change” T-shirt, Molly was standing out from the crowd at the Highway to Health Festival & Youth Forum as nearly 100 onlookers watched Molly participate in one of the recipe `battles.’  She confidently described the nutritional properties of the food served. Clearly the program produced young people ready to try their hand at leading others to transform their understanding about the value of healthy food and inspire younger and older members of their community to cook with fresh ingredients!

Another summer Intern from Brooklyn, Fatimah Basir, acknowledges that in her community there is “a lot of junk food available at bodegas and there’s a McDonald’s on every corner. People are not educated about moderation.” When asked how she has been a part of the solution and how she has impacted her community, Fatimah was eager to describe how she passed on health knowledge to her family. “I emphasize that snacks are OK, if they are healthy.” Before participating in the TBC program, Fatimah admits she “used to eat chips every day, ” but from the program and inspiration from her HealthCorps instructor, she learned that she “didn’t have to cut junk food out of her diet completely, but add veggies” and prepare them healthfully. This summer Fatimah worked at the Hecksher Gardens, managed by New York Restoration Project at the Slow Food NYC Summer Camp, educating 9- and 10-year-olds about making food healthy and fun. “It doesn’t always have to be about eating gross veggies” as some of the kids openly feared.  Fatimah acted as a role model for them, sampling everything they cooked in the class, and demonstrating openness and appreciation for delicious, fresh ingredients.

Joel Allette, a junior at Humanities Prep, truly embodied his summer motto to transition “from student to teacher.” Interning at the Sylvia Center, Joel taught 9- and 10-year-olds about proper and safe knife skills, how to identify flavors, and to prepare healthy and delicious recipes! By the end of the program, Joel felt that “the kids knew more than other kids their age. Before we discussed veggies, some of the kids didn’t even know what a pepper was!  We taught them about different textures in food and a variety of methods of cooking.” He felt he inspired kids to teach their families to make better choices, and definitely “broadened their horizons.” Armed with the new skills and experiences, many of the kids began cooking the class recipes at home, and encouraged their parents to use fresh ingredients that they were exposed to by Joel.  According to FamilyCook founder and APHA Food and Nutrition Section member Lynn Fredericks,  “by getting their parents involved in the cooking and  pushing for more produce shopping, each Teen Battle Chef influences their family and friends and impact their greater community.”

From Joel’s perspective, the main challenge to healthy eating in his community is lack of education about what a truly healthful meal is and how to prepare it, as well as access to healthy ingredients. There is “not enough variety; options are limited to our surroundings, so people only choose junk” he reports with dismay, adding, “most people do not even know what they’re eating, what is good or bad, or have much familiarity with a wide variety of veggies; people only know McDonald’s or convenience stores. People just tend to take advantage of convenience options.”  But for Joel now, his habits have changed. He reports that he frequently cooks at home with fresh ingredients for his whole family to enjoy. Not only does Joel’s family reap the benefits of his increased health knowledge, but they also enjoy quality family time together, creating memories over delicious meals and shared experiences.

Molly, Fatimah, and Joel, along with their 16 peers in the TBC summer program, fully embodied the idea behind the program slogan ‘stirring up change.’ Between conducting cooking demos at farmers markets, teaching cooking classes, or working alongside restaurant chefs, the Summer Intern Brigade not only developed into true leaders but advanced their personal health knowledge.   As ambassadors for health among their family, friends and community, they exemplified the potential of grassroots efforts where young people are empowered to be agents of change