This article was submitted by Robin Straus for the South Orange-Maplewood School District

Demi Schecter-Gross has always wanted to be a baker. Now, based on her talent and outstanding portfolio, she’s officially on her way after being accepted by the Culinary Institute of America.

Currently a senior at Columbia High School, Demi has been a shared-time student for the past three years. She attends Union County Vocational and Technical High School for half the day, studying baking and cake decorating. The second half of her day is spent at Columbia taking her core curriculum requirements. She likes attending two schools, and has made friends in both places.

Entering the baking program in grade 10 was an unusual accomplishment, since students are required to attend a year of an exploratory program in grade 10 prior to selecting a “major.”  Demi, already an accomplished baker with her own cake-decorating portfolio, was given early entry into this program.

Demi has been passionate about cake decorating since she was 12 years old when she took a Wilton cake decorating course. She has taken two other private courses including one from Colette Peters, in New York (a 16^th birthday present from her parents) and from Charmaine Jones, the Cake Diva.