Community engaged teaching and learning fosters an opportunity for academic learning and progress through a mutually beneficial relationship for the student and a community-based partner. In the fall 2024 and 2025 semesters,18 students participated in a community-engaged learning course working with approximately 45 middle and high school students. In a southern town, two entities collaborated, an academic unit and a local Boys and Girls Club, to incorporate a student practice-based learning experience. Graduate students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences M.S. in Health Promotion concentration were initially trained and then went to a local Boys and Girls Club to teach adolescents about nutrition through a hands-on cooking demonstration. Graduate students utilized a generalized planning model, implemented the initiative, and then evaluated their results. Graduate students participated in a pre/post test prior to the initiative and one week after their implementation of the initiative. As part of the presentation, attendees will learn about lessons learned and evaluation outcomes as part of this community-engaged learning program. A notable quote from one of the graduate students, “I learned a lot through this experience. I have not worked with kids before and this gave me insight into how a program surrounding children may run. It also, showed me the importance of preparation and developing ideas that actually fit the interest of the participants. I will use this in my future career when designing programs for children and adults.”