Baking It Forward: Russell Kern Honored for Youth Leadership

Russell Kern, a nine-year 4-H member from Chase, Kansas, is the recipient of the Home Baking Association’s 2025 Bake to Give: Maddie Kruse Youth Award. Kern’s leadership, generosity and enthusiasm for teaching others through baking are inspiring. Kern is a Kansas 4-H member who exemplifies the values of the wheat-growing and baking communities. Kern has done just that through a remarkable series of hands-on workshops, community service projects and creative educational activities that exemplify the spirit of this award.

A talented baker and teacher, Kern has taken his passion for the 4-H Foods and Nutrition project beyond personal achievement, though his own accomplishments are impressive. Last summer, he earned grand champion honors at his county fair with his expertly crafted buttery croissants. But what sets Kern apart is his deep commitment to helping others, particularly younger 4-H members in his community. Over the past year, he has organized and led a series of interactive baking workshops that not only taught practical skills but also integrated science, nutrition and cultural traditions in a fun and accessible way.

In one workshop, held the day before Thanksgiving, Kern taught a group of young 4-H members how to make butterhorn rolls. Each participant took home a dozen freshly baked rolls to share with their families, but the lesson didn’t stop at baking technique. Kern also led an engaging experiment demonstrating how yeast works, using balloons to show how warm water and sugar help activate the yeast. During Christmas break, he taught participants to make New Year’s Cookies, a family tradition he was excited to share. That session also included a MyPlate nutrition activity, encouraging students to think about healthy food choices as they cooked together.

On St. Patrick’s Day, Kern hosted an Irish Soda Bread workshop, introducing the difference between yeast-leavened and soda-leavened breads. While the bread baked, students shook heavy cream into homemade butter, learned knife skills for chopping herbs and watched a video on how flour is milled. Each class welcomed about 10 students, lasted two hours and gave participants more than just recipes; they left with a deeper understanding of baking, food science and nutrition.

“I think that it is very important for upcoming generations to know how to bake food and the importance of their health,” Kern said. “I strive to teach people about cooking and living a healthy life while learning while they are at it.”

His leadership goes beyond the kitchen. Kern serves on the Kansas 4-H Health and Wellness Team and traveled to Washington, D.C., to learn new strategies for promoting healthy living in his state. He regularly volunteers with the Northern Rice County Food Bank, where he donated 30 pumpkin pie kits last Thanksgiving, and is currently organizing a Swipe Out Hunger meal packaging event at his school. He’s also raised over $1,000 for the Ellinwood Energizers 4-H Club and Ellinwood High School SkillsUSA by baking and selling cinnamon rolls, macaroni and cheese and burritos.

As the 2025 Bake to Give: Maddie Kruse Youth Award winner, Kern will receive a $1,000 prize and a trip to the Home Baking Association’s Annual Meeting in Fort Collins, Colorado. His work embodies the values this award celebrates, sharing baking skills with others, fostering community connections and making a meaningful impact through generosity, leadership and a love of baking.

Kansas Wheat is a proud member of the Home Baking Association and is dedicated to supporting baking education and outreach across the state. From preserving baking traditions to promoting wheat-based nutrition, Kansas Wheat works alongside partners to ensure baking remains a valuable and accessible life skill. Supporting youth like Kern is a reflection of that commitment.