Making sure their homework is complete, senior Amber Patterson takes advantage of free time to bake. As they hook attachments to their beloved KitchenAid mixer, an earlier childhood memory comes to mind.

“I first got into baking in elementary school because my mom owns a home bakery, so I would help out,” said Patterson. “At one point it transitioned from only helping to baking on my own and doing my own recipes.”

They followed a recipe without help for the first time, attempting to bake and decorate a chocolate cake. Creating unfavorable results, their mother came to the rescue, scraping all the frosting off to the sides to improve the cake’s appearance.

Small acts of service from a parent can leave a lasting impression on their kids. Whether it’s a parent with a culinary-focused career or a neighbor offering advice in the kitchen, teen bakers are often influenced by the figures they look up to.

Juliet Formel, junior, also began their culinary journey with the help of an experienced role model. Their neighbor ran a cooking class and babysat Formel, combining the two worlds by teaching them to cook.

“She was my biggest inspiration [behind baking],” Formel said. “I try to [bake] based on what I think a person likes, inspired by one of my friends and their favorite things. Or, I decide I really like two things, why don’t I just make that into something?”

The sensory triggers and familiarity behind baking can create comfort and increase mindfulness, making it a suitable hobby for students to adopt, especially juniors, as workload and school-induced stress increase. What may appear as a simple hobby can actually be a way for students with a heavy workload, to unwind and focus their mind off of school.

“I think of baking as a way to calm down. If I’m baking bread I can take my feelings out on it, it’s something that keeps me level with everything else that I have.”

The friends and family of teen bakers are a big influence in what they bake and are often the recipients of the sweets. Even so, they don’t usually see the creative thinking and sense of expression behind each confection.

“I like the science behind it and that it’s something that I’ve been able to create myself, and that’s something that I can be proud of and represent a part of me,” said Formel.

The first week of April is recognized as National Bake Week, a time for people to make their favorite pastries and desserts from scratch.

“It’s pretty fun and relaxing to bake. After I’m done, when people are eating it, if they compliment it that makes me really happy,” said freshman Ava Wetzel.

Wetzel’s dad was a chef, inspiring them in middle school by teaching basic recipes. For anyone starting out, Wetzel suggests “find a recipe you like…a good chocolate chip banana bread [for example] because then you’ll actually be more motivated to start.”

This week is the perfect opportunity to find that motivation and learn to make healthier versions of the food commercial markets offer. The pastime is proven to also improve mindsets and act as a de-stressor, with the end result bringing people together and giving the baker a sense of accomplishment.

“It’s something fun to do on the weekends,” said Connor Calhoun (freshman), “Sharing it, the final products, good taste, and knowing that you’re the one that made it.”

Calhoun is part of Oviedo’s culinary program, one of the many Career & Technical Education courses the school offers. For Calhoun, part of taking culinary means making the goods sold at bake sales. As one of the starter chefs in his class, they also help plan the recipes for the week and what to cook Mondays and Tuesdays.

These classes prepare students with the necessary skills or certifications to take with them as they enter the workplace.

“Taking culinary it’s really interesting because there’s something new you’re learning how to do, different recipes and techniques,” said Patterson. “It gives you a chance to really learn more about cooking. Instead of doing the same thing over and over again, you get the chance to really try unique things.”

“People think baking is hard and time-consuming, so they don’t want to mess anything up, but it’s fun and really exciting to make something. You [see] it in the oven and then take it out and that’s something that you made from scratch. So don’t be afraid to get into baking, at least give it a try. You’ll never know if you like it or not [until you start].”