MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Two students of deCarteret College here made their school proud recently when they walked away as winners in an organic cooking competition for high schools.

Sixth formers Tennee McCormack and Selena Newman collected $20,000 on behalf of the school and a $25,000 cheque for themselves.

The competition, dubbed the Green Hills Organic High School Cooking Competition, was an inaugural event organised by the Mandeville branch of health food chain Health and Nutrition Limited. Local organic company, Green Hills was the main sponsor.

Manager of Health and Nutrition’s Mandeville branch, Shannen March, said the initiative is aimed at fostering a healthy lifestyle mindset among the youth.

“The wealth of our country depends upon the future of our youth. We sincerely believe that the future of our youth can only be achieved on the premise that true wealth includes good health. This premise becomes very effective once parents and guardians begin to instil the value of healthy eating habits and a healthy lifestyle in the minds and daily activities of our children at a tender age,” she told the Jamaica Observer Central.

Being cognisant of the critical role that school also plays in socialisation, March said that the decision was taken to host a cooking competition at the high school level aimed at demonstrating how to prepare healthier meals.

In addition to deCarteret College, Manchester High, Mount Saint Joseph Catholic High, Spalding High, Knox College High and Christiana High also participated.

Mount Saint Joseph Catholic High placed second, Manchester High was third, and each school received gift baskets valued at over $10,000 each.

For the competition, March said that the students had the opportunity to use, at no cost to them, some ingredients from the Health and Nutrition store.

She said that with the relevant partnerships she expects that the competition will continue and be expanded, as the healthy lifestyle message is important.

“This competition brings light to the fact that cooking healthier meals in schools is not only attainable, but very important [and does not necessarily have to] put a strain on the school’s budget. The competition is also to highlight how motivated, interested and well involved children can be if they are a part of the preparation process,” said March.

She said the cooking competition was done in three phases for a period of approximately one month.

March said that twelve students from the six schools combined and participated in the competition for the first staging of the event.

All the participants who made it up to third place received certificates of participation.

March said the $20,000 prize money presented to deCarteret College can be used to assist any project.

— Alicia Sutherland