Nine-year-old Ameliea Olheiser carefully cut sample slices of her Breakfast Tostada for the judges. She was representing Cascade Elementary School in the Kennewick School District’s 2016 Sodexo Future Chefs Challenge in February at Tri-Tech Skills Center in Kennewick.

Olheiser beat out 14 other young chefs representing their Kennewick elementary schools in the annual culinary cook-off. This year’s theme was Healthy Breakfast Foods.

Fourth- and fifth-graders from throughout the Kennewick School District and the Mid-Columbia Partnership, which oversees the homeschooled students, submitted more than 100 recipes. A panel of judges reviewed the recipes and one from each school was selected for the competition.

This is the fourth year the Kennewick School District has participated in the national contest. Students in the Richland School District will compete March 17 at Tri-Tech.

About 60 parents, siblings and friends watched as the fourth and fifth graders, each paired with a Tri-Tech culinary arts student, chopped, sautéed and mixed their breakfast creations.

Having the youngsters mentored by a Tri-Tech student works on a number of levels, said Sam Shick, nutrition services director for the KSD.

“As the Tri-Tech students work with the elementary students, they talk about what’s awesome about Tri-Tech and maybe get them interested in attending when they’re older,” he said.

Judges were Heather Kintzley, Kennewick School District board member, Liyah Morris, last year’s Sodexo Future Chefs Challenge winner and LuAnne Wiles and Kathleen Claymore of the Tri-Tech culinary arts program.

The contestants were given 45 minutes to complete their recipes. Samples were plated for the judges and the audience was also offered tastings.

Each recipe was judged on taste, originality, kid-appeal and use of healthy ingredients.

After the awards were handed out, a beaming Olheiser clutched a laundry basket of filled with cooking gadgets, including a cookbook, oven mitt and a water garden.

Olheiser, 9, is the daughter of Milari Olexa and Chris Olheiser, both of Kennewick.

“She enjoys cooking,” said Milari Olexa. “Every Saturday and Sunday morning, she’s in the kitchen making scrambled eggs and toast for the family.”

Ameliea Olheiser’s winning recipe was a breakfast tostada she made by scrambling turkey sausage, eggs, onion, red and green pepper. Olheiser spoons the scrambled egg mixture onto tostada shells and garnishes the mixture with shredded cheddar cheese, avocado slices and salsa.

“I just used ingredients that I liked and put them all together,” she said.

Olexa said the recipes is likely going to become the family’s new weekend favorite.

Runners up in the KSD culinary challenge were Paula Hostick, a fifth grader from Amistad Elementary School, who made a Savory Oatmeal Muffin, and Olivia Campbell-Beeman, a fourth grader from Edison Elementary School, who’s recipe was a Baked Apple Parfait.

Olheiser’s recipe, and the winner from the RSD’s March competition, will be entered into the national Sodexo culinary competition, which will take place later this year. Those winners will be featured on posters sent out to schools across the nation.

For more information about Tri-Tech Skills Center, go to school.ksd.org/tritech.