March 12, 2024 – On Tuesday, the Kays Foundation Scarlet to Black Program for Financial Independence and the Center for Economic Education & Financial Literacy hosted their second annual Arkansas Food Cart Conference and Competition for 200 Northeast Arkansas students. This event was created for third through sixth grade students to enhance their nutrition and entrepreneurship skills by creating their own healthy food cart! The conference was inspired by a previous Scarlet to Black project – in 2021, S2B received a grant through the Arkansas Biosciences Institute to create and run “Getting Wealthy, Being Healthy”, an after-school program for first through sixth grade to learn about nutrition and budgeting, for two years.
For the competition, each team was asked to create a healthy (or healthier alternative) food item for their cart and produce a business plan, business logo, menu with nutrition facts, and a Food Network-style demonstration video. The Top 8 teams brought their food cart creations to the conference and presented their ideas to our team of celebrity judges – Hailey Hawkins, former Program Coordinator for “Getting Wealthy, Being Healthy”; Dr. Jim Washam, Dean of the Neil Griffin College of Business, and Michael Wonderly, General Manager of Sodexo at A-State.
Top 8 Finalists
Bob’s Waffle-Waffle Taco, Brookland
Caesar’s Pasta Cart, Valley View
The Fuse, Valley View
Grandma’s Chicken Chili, Brookland
The Healthy House – Fruit Pops, Brookland
Kal’s Turkey Tacos, Valley View
RAJE Wraps, East Poinsett County
Wild Game, Valley View
While the Top 8 were presenting, there were 25 college student volunteers running workshops where students practiced matching nutrition labels with the correct brand, learned how to calculate price per unit, and tested their nutrition knowledge through a game of Jeopardy. The students earned money through quick, correct answers during these games, and used that money to bid on items to create their Healthy Food Plate.
In the afternoon, the students participated in Grocery Games – a workshop where teams of five students are given a grocery list and a budget, and must get all the items on their list while looking at nutrition and staying within their means. The students had four different locations – a convenience store, two grocery stores, and a box store – to shop, all with realistic price points and variety.
The event wrapped up with the Awards Ceremony celebrating the top three teams in each category – business plan, logo, menu, demonstration video, and overall. Check out the winners below!
Business Plan
1st Place Wild Game, Valley View – Curtis Henson, 5th Grade
2nd Place Nacho Average Apples, Brookland – Siler Snell, 5th Grade
3rd Place The Fuse, Valley View – Jana Caang, 5th Grade
Logo
1st Place Grandma’s Chicken Chili, Brookland – Marley Copeland, 5th Grade & Arlie Kennon, 5th Grade
2nd Place Caesar’s Pasta Cart, Valley View – Brown Woodard, 5th Grade; Chase Burnett, 5th Grade; Kolby Collins, 5th Grade; Colin Cude, 5th Grade; Josiah Wijaya, 5th Grade
3rd Place Air Fried Masters, JPS Leadership Magnet – Donovan Pannell, 5th Grade; Hayley Gonzalez, 5th Grade; Jack Miller, 5th Grade; Jordan Murry, 5th Grade
Menu
1st Place Bananamo Dunks, JPS International Studies Magnet – Jagger Moss, 5th Grade; Addy Beth Martin, 5th Grade; Jackson Tyson, 5th Grade; Gracelyn Henry, 5th Grade
2nd Place The Fuse, Valley View – Jana Caang, 5th Grade
3rd Place Papa Pastry, Valley View – Emerson Wilcox, 5th Grade
Demonstration Video
1st Place Wild Game, Valley View – Curtis Henson, 5th Grade
2nd Place Chimkens, Valley View – Layne Bass, 5th Grade
3rd Place RAJE Wraps, East Poinsett County – Raylee Thompson, 6th Grade; Ariana Kirk, 6th Grade; Jaci Stone, 6th Grade; Edith Patterson, 6th Grade
Overall Winners
1st Place RAJE Wraps, East Poinsett County – Raylee Thompson, 6th Grade; Ariana Kirk, 6th Grade; Jaci Stone, 6th Grade; Edith Patterson, 6th Grade
$500 Prize for Team, $200 Prize for Teacher Stephanie Tacker
2nd Place The Fuse, Valley View – Jana Caang, 5th Grade
$300 Prize
3rd Place The Healthy House – Fruit Pops, Brookland – Ella Murray, 5th Grade & Lyla Williams, 5th Grade
$200 Prize for Team
Dr. Philip Tew, PhD / JD 
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