FARMINGTON -- Young culinary superstars displayed their creative talents at the second annual "Now You're Cookin'!" awards ceremony.

The Wednesday night event at the Cascade Brook School was the culmination of the school year classes, workshops, and field trips to learn about healthy eating and local food sources. Students prepared a two-course family meal based on USDA Food Pyramid Guidelines, said SAD 9's Health Education Coordinator Alyce Cavanaugh. Recipes had to include as many locally grown ingredients as possible.

"Nearly 60 percent Maine adults are overweight, with an even higher percentage in Franklin County," Cavanaugh said. "More than 30 percent of our middle school students are overweight."

Fourth-grade students participated in the year-long program that promotes healthy eating and good nutrition through education, awareness, and community involvement. Cavanaugh developed the "Now You're Cookin'!" curriculum in her senior year at the University of Maine at Farmington.

Western Mountain Alliance's Eat Smart and Eat Local program provided her with a complementary support network of local farmers and community businesses. Tanya Swain attended to represent the Alliance, but she also was there as a proud mother. Her daughter Sophie, 10, had made the family a meal that included lemonade, a fruit salad, vegetables with a dip, and smoked salmon on toast.

"It was really good, and she was pretty excited about this project," her mother Tanya Swain said. "She's tall enough to reach the stove."

At the table of culinary samples, Abigail McCarthy dipped apricots into a fountain of melted chocolate.

"My sister Emily made dinner for us, and on a scale of one to 10, I'd give her a 10," she said, as she licked the chocolate from her fingers.

The curriculum teaches children to make better food choices and introduces them to new culinary adventures, she said. Fast-food restaurant menus can be a common pitfall for families, and breakfast is often skipped when parents and children rush to school and work. Cavanaugh arranged for students to tour a Hannaford's store to learn about their nutritional ratings and how to shop for healthy foods.

Students tasted exotic fruits and vegetables, made smoothies, and met local farmers. They hosted the school's National School Breakfast Week, and helped food services director Cheryl Ellis and her staff serve more than 450 breakfasts to students and family members.