BentoFun Competition: A Community Service Innovation for Balanced Nutrition Education and Culinary Creativity in Youth

Abstrak

Creativity was an important aspect that needed to be developed from school age to support innovative thinking and children's self-confidence. This community service activity aimed to provide a space for creative expression for elementary, junior high, and senior high school students through a competition called the BentoFun Competition with the theme “One Cake, a Thousand Imaginations.” The activity was held on 12 July 2026, from 09.00 to 15.00 WITA, at Cafe Gavaria Durian III, Berau Regency. Participatory education and experiential learning methods were used, in which participants were directly involved in decorating and creating cakes according to their own imagination. Data were collected through observation of participant involvement, judges' assessment rubrics, and activity documentation, and were analyzed descriptively. The results showed high enthusiasm and participation among participants, with a variety of creative works reflecting different imaginative characteristics across age groups. The activity also had a positive impact, increasing participants' self-confidence, independence, and fine motor skills, with positive responses from parents and accompanying teachers. In conclusion, the BentoFun Competition was effective as a medium for developing the creativity of school-age children and has the potential to be replicated sustainably in other regions.