Elementary school students in Rock Hill schools have been learning about the importance of healthy eating while honing their culinary skills in Sodexo’s annual Future Chefs: Healthy Salad Challenge.

More than 100 elementary school students in Rock Hill schools submitted healthy salad recipes, and the 14 finalists competed Thursday at Dutchman Creek Middle School.

Finalists prepared and presented their salads and were judged on originality, taste, presentation, kid friendliness and use of healthy ingredients.

The winning student, Carson Fowler, a fifth-grader at India Hook Elementary, will complete against other South Carolina winners for the right to advance to the regional competition.

The regional finalists will vie to become one of five national finalists competing for public votes for their favorite recipe on a special Future Chefs YouTube channel.

Fowler’s winning recipe was a Mexican salad similar to a taco or fajita. He said he added more salsa this time to make it spicier, a taste that set his salad apart from the others, the judges said.