LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson County Public Schools students and families had the chance to cook up some new skills at a community cooking class offered by the school district. 

Chris Zirkelback brought his daughter Lila to learn how to cook.   

“I’ve always just wanted to try to teach my daughter how to cook because I enjoy cooking,” said Chris.

Lila says she can’t wait to bring her newly found cooking skills home to help her dad.

“I really want to grow up and be able to cook for my family well, and that must be a good life skill for me, so I’m really excited. Learn some new skills and just hang out with my dad,” said Lila.

Learning things like safe cooking practices, good hygiene and making a complete meal from start to finish.

“It’s learning the skills like knife skills and food safety, cleaning vegetables and all that kind of stuff. I think it’s a lot of different stuff. So definitely we’ll teach her something,” said Chris.

The dish for the event is simmered greens and bacon, featuring collard greens, black-eyed peas and bacon, served with rice.

Norton Children’s Prevention and Wellness Program Coordinator Solera Spagnuolo says the cooking class is focused on teens learning how to cook healthy meals using recipes that are simple to put together.

“They can understand that this is something that they’re capable of doing on their own. And it’s not out of their reach to have fresh fruit and vegetables, whole grains and protein in their diets,” said Spagnuolo.

“It’s important because it is so easy to go out to dinner every single day and eat basically every single meal out. So if you can learn to cook for yourself what actually is healthy food, I think that’s important for everybody,” said Chris.

Zirkelback says he hopes others will take advantage of these important life skills through JCPS. JCPS’ Shawnee Satellite Office and Norton Children’s Prevention and Wellness put on the class.

There will be a cooking class each month until May.