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Lisa McCullough of the Chilton County Extension Office adds sugar to a bread mixture. (Photos by JOYANNA LOVE/ ADVERTISER)

Children scoop flour in preparation for the bread in a bag project at the Maplesville summer reading program Food for Thought.

Lisa McCullough of the Chilton County Extension Office adds sugar to a bread mixture. Once all the ingredients were added, children closed the bag and squished the mixture to stir it. Children took the dough home to be baked later

Lisa McCullough and Gay West of the Chilton County Extension Office help children add sugar and salt to their bread mixture.

Gay West reads "Everybody Bakes Bread" by Norah Dooley to children during Food for Thought, the summer reading program at the Maplesville Library.

Corn kernels, beans and pumpkin seeds became art supplies during Food for Thought.

By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

The Maplesville Library Summer Reading program, provided by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System Chilton County office, had students hungry for more with its bread-themed event.

June 8 marked the kick-off of this year’s program with Food for Thought as the theme.

Extension Agent Gay West said the team was looking for a theme all of the children would enjoy.

“It’s introducing them to new concepts and different kinds of food, trying new food, too,” West said.

West started the event by reading “Everybody Bakes Bread” by Norah Dooley. The story is about a girl enjoying a variety of ethnic breads while visiting her neighbors. The book was one previously used by the Extension’s Nutrition Education Program.

“Their [NEP] main goal is to get children to eat more fruits and vegetables,” West said.

The NEP program is funded through a federal grant.

After the story, children had the opportunity to begin making bread of their own. Lisa McCullough of the Chilton County Extension Office walked students through the different steps of adding ingredients.  After the ingredients were added to the child’s sealable bag, the bags were closed and squished to mix the ingredients. Later, more flour was added to turn the mixture into dough. A recipe and bread pan was given to each child, so they could bake the bread when they got home. Attendee Raven Howard thought the bread would taste good once it was baked.

Attendee Brent Bransen said he enjoyed the story and activities. He said the story had a few types of bread he had never heard of.

While one group was at the bread station, others were at the craft station, creating chicks out of corn kernels, beans and pumpkin seeds on a sheet of paper.

“I used corn and some beans, and I did a little on the end to make it kind of textured looking. And, I did to layers of beans for the wings,” attendee Maria Sosa said.

Sosa said she enjoyed the activity because she enjoys doing crafts.

This is the Chilton County Extension Office’s third year to provide the summer reading program. The event was originally funded through a birding grant and promoted birding as well as the Piedmont Plateau Birding Trail.

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