With an expert eye, she carefully constructs her culinary masterpiece.  She gingerly places each decoration in the perfect position and steps back to admire the soft hues and well rounded tiers of the birthday cake. With a light heart, junior Sheyenne Wells prepares her custom-made birthday cake for a special delivery.

Wells delivered her cake last Friday for a birthday party. She completed the project through the high school’s culinary arts program.

“It’s awesome, this is my first actual big project,” Wells said. “It’s just great to be a part of it.”

Wells gained interest in culinary arts through time spent with her family. She enrolled in the culinary arts program at the high school last year, and will participate in competitions with them later this semester. Through the program, she earned her job at Leo’s Asian Bistro.

“Ever since I was little I’ve always baked in the kitchen with my grandma,” Wells said. “It’s kind of a tradition, that’s what we do when we get together. We cook, so I have always enjoyed doing it.”

Last semester the culinary arts teacher, Summer French, asked around for any catering or cooking opportunities for her students. Art teacher Rebecca Harrison asked for a special cake to be delivered to her foster daughter at her second birthday party. Wells was then assigned to the task.

“It’s great. I’ve always loved doing things like this with children,” Wells said. “I also want to foster when I get older, so it fits.”

The cake took a week to complete. With the assistance of her peers and instructor, Wells was able to finish the “Bubble Guppies” themed birthday cake in a timely manner.

“I had to figure out the correct coloring, roll out the fondant, and make little characters,” Wells said. “I had to test the cake and the fondant and just make everything perfect.”

The cake fed over 40 people, and was an instant hit at the birthday party. The design included two tiers and featured colors and figures that matched the theme.

“Everybody was astounded that a high school student had made that cake,” Harrison said. “They thought that it had been made by a professional, and it tasted really good too.”