Conversations between a teacher and her student led to rising Newtown Middle School eighth grader Eliza Roth being accepted to be on Food Network's Chopped Junior program. The episode will air on Tuesday, July 26, at 8 pm.Chopped Junior has children compete to make different courses while incorporating mystery ingredients. A panel of judges determines after each course which chef is "chopped" from further competing. Ted Allen hosts both Chopped Junior and Chopped. This month's episode marks the second time in three months that a Newtown child has been featured on the popular show. A cheerleader from Sandy Hook was part of the competition in May.Chopped Junior, Eliza said she shared the information with her.Chopped Junior, Kids Baking Championship, and anything "that is on" the Food Network or the Cooking Channel. She searches online for new recipes, and she tries to always pick a recipe provided by the Food Network.

While Eliza said she is not allowed to discuss the show too much before it airs, Food Network's description of the episode reads, "Neatness is always important in plating, but with sloppy joes as a mandatory ingredient in the first round, the judges- food blogger Siri Daly, actress Cheryl Hines, and chef Geoffrey Zakarian - must excuse some sloppiness! A red pesto and some white turnips keep things interesting in the entree round, then a yummy bacon apple pie is found in the dessert basket."

For Eliza, it all began with talking about her love of cooking with her seventh grade science teacher Valerie LeBlanc. After Ms LeBlanc learned about the opportunity to apply to be on

Watching television shows taught Eliza most of what she knows, but her family had some influence too. Her grandmother, Karen Roth, plants herbs with Eliza and her family at their home in Newtown. Her other grandmother, Maxene Raymond, would watch cooking shows when Eliza was little. It was her first taste of watching cooking episodes.

For lunch on Thursday, July 14, Eliza took an order from her mother, Dana. She carefully noted what her mother wanted on her panini, then headed outside to pick herbs. The family had a lot of spinach and lettuce, but they ate it all, Eliza said. Now the growing plants include hot banana peppers, poblano peppers, cilantro, basil, oregano, and lemon cucumbers.

She gently pushed greens aside to find the perfect basil leaves.

Eliza said she has been cooking "basically forever," since she would help her mother in the kitchen when she was younger.

Now Eliza watches

She makes at least one meal for her family each week, she said, along with breakfast.

"I make breakfast a lot," said Eliza, "and everybody likes their eggs differently."

Filming the episode, which is called "Sloppy Apps," was nerve-wracking. Eliza said there were cameras everywhere and the judges were staring.

"I would definitely do it again, though," said Eliza, "especially with making new friends in the process of it…The experience was just unbelievable."

Eliza said she is still in contact with her competitors on the show. They text regularly now.

From the experience, Eliza said she learned students should, "Follow your dreams, because I always liked cooking. I never would have auditioned if it wasn't for my teacher. She basically got me here."

Before filming the competition show, Eliza said she practiced with Chef Kristopher Plummer (better known as "Chef Plum"), a personal chef from Newtown and owner of Plum Luv Foods and Poke Belly Productions. Chef Plum has appeared on television shows before, including Food Network shows.

Eliza said Chef Plum taught her "the basics," like how to hold a knife, and searing meat before cooking it in the oven. He would also give her a basket of food items and then say, "Go."

The family plans on watching the show, according to both Eliza and Ms Roth.

"I'm kind of nervous to see it," Eliza said, adding that she knows she will want to change some of her actions during the challenge.