Kentucky State Fair Crowns First School Salsa Champion

By Blake Jackson

Madisonville North Hopkins High School has claimed first place in the inaugural Best School Garden Salsa Challenge, held at the Kentucky State Fair. The announcement was made by Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell following the contest.

“What’s not to love about salsa?!,” Commissioner Shell said. “But more important than the delicious, fresh recipes these students made, are the lessons they learned. This contest provides students with the skills to grow their own food, work together as a team, and produce something delicious from it. Congratulations to everyone who participated.”

The event marked the beginning of All in for Ag Education Week, scheduled for Sept. 15-19. The week-long celebration is a joint effort by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA), the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, and the Kentucky Department of Education.

Schools across the state were invited by KDA’s Ag Education and Outreach Division to take part in the challenge. Participating teams grew their own salsa ingredients in school gardens, created original recipes, and presented their entries at the State Fair.

While most ingredients came directly from the school gardens, some supplemental produce was sourced from local farms, and limes were permitted to be purchased.

Recipes were initially judged by the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service for food safety, preparation, and student knowledge. Final winners were then selected by Commissioner Shell, Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman, and Education Commissioner Robbie Fletcher.

The Madisonville North Hopkins team, comprised of FFA members Lilli Norman, Kelcie Greer, Hadley Webb, Keeley Peyton, Riley Peyton, and Alex Garrott, impressed the judges with their “Kernel and Comb Creation” recipe. Their roasted sweet corn salsa combined jalapeños, Roma tomatoes, bell peppers, honey, and cumin.

Many of the ingredients, including sweet corn and honey, were grown or harvested by the students themselves. As part of their prize, the school will receive a VIP visit during Ag Education Week.

A total of eight schools competed in this year’s contest. Among them were Bondurant Middle, Nancy Elementary, Highland Middle, Jones Middle, Menifee County Middle, Pride Elementary, and Butler County High. Highland Middle drew attention by bringing nearly 700 students to cheer for their team, while Pride Elementary added a creative twist with a salsa-themed song.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-shotbydave