Zac Hackney, youth EFNEP educator in Pitt County, attended Ag Education Day at A.G. Cox Middle School on November 18, 2022. The purpose of the event was to provide youth with knowledge about agriculture and to educate them about the source of their everyday items (food, clothing, water) and why this industry is so important to their lives. EFNEP was a perfect fit for this event as Zac utilized sweet potatoes he procured from a local Pitt County farm to create a delicious recipe for the students to try. Zac prepared Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Granola and talked with students about the difference between natural and added sugars. He encouraged students to enjoy the natural sweetness that sweet potatoes provide and to consider alternatives such as crunchy granola to put on them instead of traditional toppings such as marshmallows. Zac also engaged students in trivia including the fact that North Carolina is ranked #1 as the state which grows the most sweet potatoes.

-Jackie Sugg, Regional Nutrition Extension Associate