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A FISH FOR ALL OCCASIONS NC Sea Grant Program Involves Local Graduate and Tasty Recipes
A fish FOR ALL OCCASIONS NEW NC SEA GRANT PROMOTION INVOLVES A LEESVILLE GRADUATE, AND TASTY SEAFOOD RECIPES
North Carolina Sea Grant has a new series of downloadable seafood posters – designed by Leesville Road High graduate and NC Sea Grant intern Hayden Stephens – for retailers to showcase kitchen-tested recipes from Mariner’s Menu, the program’s popular seafood recipe and resources website.
The 13 mini-posters also feature vivid photos by Vanda Lewis, plus information on where to find more seafood recipes.
“We (are) sharing the poster links with seafood markets to highlight ways consumers can enjoy the flavors and seasonality of our fish and shellfish,” said Barry Nash, Sea Grant’s seafood specialist.
The timing is appropriate as more folks are eating at home, and are seeking out North Carolina seafood. Indeed, a recent Sea Grant survey, led by Nash, found that recipes are the most important among six options to improve the seafood cooking experiences at home.
The posters also highlight a partnership with the “Got to Be NC Seafood” campaign of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which funded seafood purchases for Sea Grant’s Lewis to test more recipes and photograph the results.
“We hope these new recipe posters will encourage consumers to purchase a more diversified palette of N.C. seafood species and also show the ease of preparation of delicious seafood dishes,”
said John M. Aydlett, the department’s seafood marketing specialist.
Sea Grant shared the first posters at the Seafood Jubilee, hosted by Locals Seafood in Raleigh last winter – just before restrictions were initiated to limit the spread of COVID-19. “The timing gave Hayden a perspective on how the seafood supply chain quickly changed as restaurants closed or limited sales to pickup and delivery. That meant the role of seafood markets became critical to consumers and to the fishing communities,” adds Katie Mosher, Sea Grant’s communications director.
For Stephens, working on the project as the pandemic unfolded took on extra urgency. “Our goal quickly became educating consumers enough that they felt confident supporting seafood markets and fishing communities through these uncertain times,” she said. North Carolina Sea Grant offers more than 200 kitchen-tested recipes – using North Carolina commercial fisheries species – through the resource book Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas, distributed by the University of North Carolina Press, as well as online at marinersmenu.org, which caters to seafood retailers, their customers and all home cooks. The recipes were developed by former Sea Grant
NC Sea Grant seafood recipe mini-posters designed by intern Hayden Stephens
Walnut Encrusted Snapper
Photos by Vanda Lewis, courtesy of NC Sea Grant
JOHN M. AYDLETT
Seafood Marketing Specialist NC Dept of Agriculture and Consumer Services consumer specialist Joyce Taylor and her Carteret County volunteers and nutrition leaders, using seafood harvested by North Carolina fishermen. After retiring from Sea Grant, Taylor continued creating recipes for another 10 years.
Recently, Sea Grant added more Mariner’s Menu recipes online. “Many of these include new flavors that go beyond the classic cooking styles on the North Carolina coast,” Lewis said.
“Through the Mariner’s Menu book and website, people can learn how to discern seafood quality at the retail counter; to safely handle and freeze raw seafood; and to prepare flavorful, nutritious meals at home using trustworthy recipes developed by people who grew up along the coast eating fresh, local seafood,” Nash explained. “These are truly comprehensive resources to help people select, store and cook North Carolina seafood.”
Information for this article courtesy of North Carolina Sea Grant, and special thanks goes to Katie Mosher, North Carolina Sea Grant Communications Director. For more North Carolina fresh seafood recipes, visit marinersmenu.org.
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ABOUT NC SEA GRANT
BASICS North Carolina Sea Grant is an interinstitutional program of the University of North Carolina system. This partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the State of North Carolina is one of 33 Sea Grant programs across the nation administered by the National Sea Grant College Program.
North Carolina Sea Grant focuses on: Research to support resolution of state, regional, and national coastal resource-management challenges; outreach via extension and communications teams who support the development and transfer of resulting technologies and applications as well as those from collaborations with local partners; internal program management, including grants administration; and educational programs that support a strong
knowledge foundation for varied stakeholders, such as the academic community, government officials, businesses and industries, K-12 teachers and students, and the public.
With its headquarters at North Carolina State University and three coastal offices, the Sea Grant team readily shares expertise with many partners, reinforcing its outstanding track record in communicating science and policy information to varied audiences via a cadre of specialists, targeted products and engaging events.
MISSION Through integrated, unbiased research and outreach efforts, North Carolina Sea Grant enhances sustainable use and conservation of ocean, coastal and watershed resources to benefit communities, economies and ecosystems.
INFORMATION
Executive Director: Susan White Contact: 919-515-2454, ncseagrant.org Donations: ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/ about-us/donate/
Stuffed Clams
Crab-Stuffed Baked Potatoes
Journey of Discovery LEESVILLE HIGH GRADUATE FINDS PERFECT INTERNSHIP FOR HER LOVE OF THE OCEAN
By JANIS JAMES
At the end of her junior year at Leesville Road High in North Raleigh, Hayden Stephens applied to participate in an internship program at her school – and it began as a journey of discovery about something she truly loved: The ocean.
“The ocean has always been my biggest interest and passion, so being given the chance to really develop that before I got to college was the reason I applied (for the program),” said Stephens, who became one of only 30 students accepted to join the one semester program.
During her senior year, instead of a class after lunch, she started working with her marine ecology instructor to brainstorm on businesses, groups and organizations in Raleigh that had a marine science focus – and then making contact with each. “I sent dozens of emails to places all over the Triangle, but finally got connected with Susan White (Executive Director of North Carolina Sea Grant at North Carolina State University),” she explained. “I interviewed with her and instantly loved it; and I started interning in January.”
As a Sea Grant intern, she was able to sit in on meetings and calls – and “help with any little task someone in the office needed done.” Sometimes that was shredding paper or alphabetizing, but she also had the opportunity to handle such tasks as collecting articles or researching past Sea Grant Fellows.
“I mostly worked with Katie Mosher, Sea Grant’s communications director and Susan White,” said Stephens; however, throughout the semester, she also had the opportunity to work with Julie Leibach (science writer/digital content specialist), Lee Cannon (communications specialist), and Anna Martin (program coordinator).
“My favorite parts of the internship were physically seeing that my goal of finding a career in the marine science field was achievable and just how undeniably supportive everyone in the office was,” she
Leesville Road High 2020 Graduate, and former NC Sea Grant intern, Hayden Stephens
HAYDEN STEPHENS
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Wood Valley neighborhood, North Raleigh St. Timothy's School (K-8), North Raleigh; Leesville Road High (9-12); UNC-Wilmington (fall 2020) Babysitter; volleyball coach; O2 Fitness Kids Club; Lynnwood Grill (hostess); NC Sea Grant (intern)
Mark Stephens; Gina Stephens and Mike McConeghy; 4 siblings 2 dogs (adopted Westies: Otis, Oscar)
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continued. “It was so clear that everyone wanted to help me succeed and grow as a student, an intern, and as an aspiring scientist.”
Her internship project originally was created for the promotion of the Winter Seafood Jubilee in March in downtown Raleigh. But the assignment – creating seafood recipe cards for distribution at the event – quickly changed (along with a lot of other things in her life). “As COVID-19 took over, we expanded the project, making a total of 13 posters to be released online,” she said. “We hoped to provide some guidance to consumers on how they can still enjoy seafood and support local markets through this unprecedented time. We wanted to promote fishing and eating sustainably so all the recipes focus on summer and fall catches.”
Stephens said COVID-19 forced her to start interning largely at home, which took a lot of self-discipline. “There were times when it was really hard to focus on the task at hand, but I am a better student because of that,” she explained. “There were a few different projects floating around at the time, but when the office was closed, my responsibility shifted to solely the new seafood posters.”
At Leesville Road High, Stephens was an editor/staff member for the LRHS yearbook for two years and an editor for St. Timothy’s Middle yearbook. “This is where I got all of my digital design experience,” she noted. “I was also the social media director for the LRHS yearbook and for the student council at Leesville, so I had some knowledge of how people react to certain fonts, colors, designs, etc.
HAYDEN STEPHENS NC Sea Grant Intern
These experiences helped me so much during the seafood poster project. I was so much more confident in my ability due to this background.”
Stephens graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors and was named a North Carolina Scholar. In addition to playing volleyball two years (before tearing her ACL and meniscus), she was very involved in student council for three years (holding the positions of freshman class secretary, student body historian, and student body vice president). And she was inducted into the National Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society, and Quill and Scroll: Journalism Honor Society.
But as busy and involved as she was, she was impacted most by receiving the Science Excellent Achievement Award for the LRHS Marine Ecology class. “My teacher, Lauren Harper, is my biggest mentor and inspiration – and the greatest teacher I’ve ever had,” Stephens said. “Her passion for the ocean is the reason I know I want to find a future in the marine science field.”
So Stephens plans to attend the University of North Carolina Wilmington this fall, and – perhaps, it’s no a surprise – study Marine Science. “I went to summer camp at UNCW for a couple of years and fell in love with the campus,” she said. “I did apply to and tour a handful of other schools, but UNCW was the right fit for me. I've wanted to study Marine Science since I was 11 and I'm very excited to start that journey!”
Writer Janis James is 919 Magazine’s newest contributing writer – and a former intern herself. Oh, and she loves fresh North Carolina seafood!
THE RISKIEST JOB YOU WILL EVER LOVE
PROTECTING THE RIGHTS, ELEVATING THE STATURE OF STAY AT HOME PARENT
By CATHY C. HUNT
In the age of COVID-19, nearly everyone is getting a glimpse into the world of the stay at home parent: The hours are long. There are no annual reviews or recognition, and – most notably – there is no long-term career advancement.
In fact, after approximately 18 years, the job is eliminated and that person must reinvent their identity and financial plan.
As a divorce attorney, I have often said that on career day at college, I should have a booth that says “stay at home parent”, the most dangerous job in the world. When I sit across the table from someone – not always, but very often a woman – who was a stay at
CATHY C. HUNT Divorce Attorney
home parent but is now faced with divorce at age 50, the goal is long term financial security, but the options are few.
It is not impossible but it is incredibly challenging to un-ring the career bell if you have never really worked outside of the home. I have some incredible success stories of women who dug deep and went back to school to become a nurse or resurrected their accounting degree that had not been used in 15 years.
However, for others, the path is much more challenging. What started as a joint decision on how to raise a family, takes on a slow slippery slope of inequality in the marriage stemming in part from the employed spouse’s perceived right to control the household income and the lack of respect and reverence given to the spouse that works inside the home. You put yourself in an incredibly vulnerable situation when you are relying on someone else to guarantee your long-term financial future.
If either spouse decides that they no longer want to be married, the dependent spouse is in no position to maintain their standard of living. If it is the agreement of the couple that one spouse will postpone or not pursue a career to stay home and manage the affairs of the home including children, there should be an agreement that any funds earned during the marriage are joint marital funds. The couple can decide how to budget those funds, but there should be an understanding that the funds earned by the employed spouse are not more valuable than the contribution made by the stay at home spouse.
In addition, a dependent spouse should actively participate in reviewing the family finances to include bank accounts credit cards, investments, and retirement accounts. Communication is key, and spouses need to make sure they are on the same page before one accepts the position as CEO of the family household.
For more information, contact Cathy C. Hunt at Gailor, Hunt, Davis, Taylor and Gibbs PLLC at 919-832-8488 or chunt@divorceistough.com.
