By: Mayla Odom
The Winston County Self-Help Cooperative Youth (WCSHY) is off to a strong start in 2026. The organization held its first event of the year on March 21 at 10:00 a.m. at the Winston County Self-Help Campus.
On Saturday, March 21, the youth gathered for a day filled with both learning and fun. Participants received training in kite flying, taking advantage of March’s typically windy conditions. In addition, they learned how to make homemade pizza from scratch.
Preparation for the event began the day before. On Friday morning, I, Mayla, the author of this article prepared the pizza dough, as the recipe required it to rise at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours. The pizza dough I used was simple and only took a few ingredients: 2 cups of pizza flour, 1/8 tsp of active yeast, 1 ¼ tsp of salt, ½ tsp of sugar, and ¾ cups of water. I made it into a rough dough with my stand mixer and placed it in a bowl, wrapped it with cling wrap, and let it sit overnight. I arrived early at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday to divide the dough in half and allow it to rise for an additional 45 minutes.
When the children arrived, we welcomed them and explained the day’s activities. After introductions and handwashing, the group was divided into five groups. Each group lightly floured their workspace and shaped the dough into 10-inch personal pan pizzas. The youth had a variety of toppings to choose from, including pepperoni, small chunks of ham, onions, bell peppers, and, of course, cheese.
While the pizzas baked, we went outside to fly kites. Although the wind was inconsistent, the kites soared high whenever a strong breeze came through. This experience provided an important lesson for the youth: timing and patience matter, as conditions are not always within our control. We flew kites for about an hour, enjoying the cool morning. It was the perfect temperature.
Once the pizzas were ready, we returned to the kitchen, washed our hands, sliced the pizzas, and enjoyed the results of our hard work. The pizzas turned out delicious, and the youth are already looking forward to their next cooking lesson.
Special thanks to all the parents and grandparents who brought their children to participate and learn. We truly appreciate your support in making these experiences possible and helping them grow their minds.
