The most boring answer everyone always gives is "this is my passion" well that may be true for me it's not the cooking part that's my passion but the reactions and what can follow right after a good meal. I grew up not really having much money in the family at all and I didn't really pay attention to the food I ate, the older I got the more I realized meals would just repeat themselves and a lot of things were frozen. There wasn't much fresh or going out in my household or childhood really, I can only remember it was when I was at someone else's house that food would be hot and not a meld of flavor. The standard struggle meal in every house is spaghetti, I ate spaghetti so much growing up I would change it up by just eating it with parmesan and butter at times to make it taste different. As I got older the money pit my family was in wasn't as deep so i was able to actually start having homecooked meals on the regular and then just didn't really care for food till I hit high school. By growing up with little variety I had grown numb to the idea of different foods, but luckily at my school there was a culinary program. I joined without really thinking much and it was an easy way to obtain a STEM endorsement and that's how I saw that class. But the thing is the first unit we went into was baking, I had competitions I went on constantly, so I always needed to find ways to make money which was generally selling things or mowing. Baking seemed to come naturally to me because I saw it like numbers, because that's the type of head I have. I began to run bake sales for money and even went to the point of just selling to fellow classmates at school. By doing this I began to grow fond of baking and many people would give me compliments or ask when the was the next sale. This continued into the next year, I still sold cookies and began to learn about cooking as well. Each time I watched someone have one of my cookies they'd always smile and then want to share with others because they wanted to them to enjoy it too. This warmed my heart, you see I'm Christian and a strong part of my faith is deep conversations and making people happy. You know how hard it is to be mad when you have a warm, delicious, cookie in your hands. When I would watch people's day brighten after eating my food it made me start thinking about doing this as a job. As I started shifting to cooking the following 2 years, I became a great cook and was even the head chef for our culinary department for 2 years and carried a team to state in SKILLSUSA 3 years in a row in culinary too. My goal after leaving high school was to get a college degree and a culinary degree to eventually open my own restaurant. I'd love to make an actual Christian restaurant where each dish was based on a story of the bible. Not a cafe but actual food, I want to make good food and dishes to brighten people's day as they come to my restaurant and then be able to spread the word that created that dish. I genuinely feel called every time I get in the kitchen because I know God is cooking with me.

Hello, my name is Benjamin Bigham, and my goal in life right now is to open my own business and try to impact everyone I can. My business idea is along the lines of a gospel restaurant. Countless stories throughout the bible and encounters have to do with animals or just food in general. An example could be feeding the 4000, and I could easily base a dish on that story. The dish would probably change with the more money the restaurant earns, but it would start with 3 fish in any style the customer wants cooked and a choice of up to 7 biscuits or 3 sides (each side would be minus 2 biscuits). I could also create a dish involving pork based on the story where a demon was cast out into a herd of pigs and ran off of a cliff. It could be a giant pork chop with a couple of sides. There are many other stories with dishes that could be based on them while still having other foods to fill up the menu. The reason I'm passionate about this idea is my love for God and my love for cooking. My life as a Christian has exponentially grown over the past couple of years to the point where I have witnessed multiple friends get baptized before my eyes. From the little amount of time I've lived, I've never really felt as happy as I did then. My goal in life is to impact as many people as possible and make them feel better in any way possible. I joined the culinary program entering high school and fell in love with cooking. I ended up baking sweets and selling them my first years of high school to raise money for vacations or other things I needed or wanted. However, as my sophomore year passed, I stopped charging for the cookies because I had less time to sell them. Something I learned, though, was that each time someone received one of my baked goods, they would smile and be in a better mood. I realized quickly that good food is the fastest way to someone's heart. I grew up craving a safe space, and I'm now someone who looks to help as many people as possible because no one should be alone. Everyone has some sort of wall built up when it comes to people, but when you're happy or feel good, you're open to almost everyone. Once a person eats good food, their walls start to come down, and you can deeply connect with them and possibly cheer them up. I strive to make everyone happy because the domino effect is real, and one good deed or happy person creates many, and that fills me with the most joy. My business will impact the world because it's good food with God behind it. With its success, it could create a widely known message. I want servers who aren't afraid of talking about God and will tell the stories that come with each dish. My restaurant could impact many and create a wave of good deeds. I want to be an entrepreneur so I can open this restaurant and change the world faster than one person at a time. I've learned that being an entrepreneur is not easy, and you need to push forward. Some won't like your idea, and some may even try to stop you, but you need to push forward because you are the thing that keeps your idea going. You need to trust yourself and God to achieve real success.

I am looking to achieve a Bachelor in Culinary Arts and Business. I have currently chosen this because I aim to be a private chef and eventually own my own bakery. I have fallen in love with cooking because it's not only an escape from reality but can also bring joy to others. I chose these two majors because they would be the biggest back to the baking industry. The reason I'm studying culinary is because I want to make an impact on others. Food in my opinion is the easiest way to make someone happy when they eat something good. When you are served something enjoyable its hard to not smile and lighten up even after an argument. I grew up with a lot of arguing in the house and my way to peace was music and cooking. I want to create a place of peace that I didn't get as a child that others in the community can go to for rest. As a christian we are called to love others, and I believe just saying something as simple as "God loves you," could heal a person. I love the impact that can be made on others life and I want to see the domino effect of people being gracious to each other just over food. I mean there's things like Thanksgiving and Christmas and those dinners with the whole family are built on the foundation of the love of food and each other. Food's sole purpose is to be enjoyed and to nourish yourself. I want to make my purpose to nourish others and create a place they will be happy. Planning an entrepreneurial career wasn't always the goal. I now aim to become an entrepreneur as I have been selling baked goods to friends, family, and coworkers of my parents. While doing so I've grown to love cooking more because I would get feedback of how delicious they are and asking when my next batch would be ready. Over the past 4 years I've made money for mission trips, vacation, and various other things through baking. I think the reason I will be successful in this career is not just because of my skill but it's from my commitment and drive. I have driven myself to be among the best if not the best in every organization. In football I became a first string player, in Culinary I am now the head chef, in DECA I am one of 3 who have made it to state every year and I'm in charge of the finance, lastly in choir I am the Men's Section leader and relied on by the director heavily. My drive has proven to get me to the place I strive for and I love each thing I'm a leader in. I think this is what so many lack in business because many will quit when they fail or get close to rock bottom. I'm different because I will aim to get back up and be on the curve of success. A successful life to me isn't based off of how much money you make but based on your happiness, love, and money. Money is still a factor in success but if you aren't happy and enjoying your job then you're wasting away at life just making money not becoming happy. I love cooking and seeing how it affects those around me and I know I can make money in the business. Becoming a bakery owner will be hard but will be worth it in the end making myself and others happy.

Hello, my name is Benjamin Bigham and I attend Pine Tree High School as a senior this year. I myself love seeing people smile and feel protected wherever they go and do. I'm in Culinary at school and have fallen in love with cooking and want to follow the cooking path as a private or personal chef after college. I joined Culinary as a freshman to have a blow off class in a sense but ended up really enjoying cooking. I think the reason cooking stood out to me so much was whenever I would bake and cook for my family they would always smile and be happy enjoying their food. In my house there are always arguments between anybody and everybody so there's not much joy to be spread around. But the second I get behind the stove and start cooking I myself forget what's going on around me and strive to make something that everyone will enjoy. I already competed in multiple other organizations like DECA and Choir. I made it to the state level every year in DECA and twice in Choir. When I joined Culinary SkillsUSA and started competing I led a team to state the past two years and have gotten to see the joy in my teammates face when they've achieved something difficult. The mark I want to make on the world is a memorable and positive one. Maybe it was the church that drove me to be like this or it was seeing those struggling around me and not wanting to see myself or others struggle. But as a professional chef striving to be a personal chef and private chef it would give me the most free time in the cooking industry. With this free time I'd like to make food and pass it around the neighborhood whether it's to the homeless or the homed, but either way the fact that just a warm cooked meal can change someones perspective on the world is what I drive for. In the Bible we are told to lead from the back by Paul and try to push those to be better than us. I think the fastest and easiest way to get to know someone is through food. Whether it's making or buying a dish for someone you do or don't know if it's tasty and hot then that makes someone's moment and that's what's important to me. I aim to make money through cooking and further my skills so I can bring wows and smiles to the people around me. This is the positive impact I aim to create in whatever community I end up in after college. So, this money would help push me just a step closer to bringing smiles to the faces around me.

The most memorable musical experience I had was my Solo just last year (May 24, Junior year), when I "stole the show." The theme for the pop show was whatever you wanted and I wanted to show off my growth over high school the past year and chose a hard but exciting song called 'Feeling Good' and it was Michael Bubles cover. I practiced for months knowing this is what I wanted to do and basically in my mind "steal the show." I myself am a Bass 2 but I have an impressive range. I was nervous in the beginning but the second the crowd started clapping as I walked out I knew I had to deliver this song. With such a hard karaoke entrance I had to focus to hear every single note. When I sang the first words "Birds flying high" the crowd cheered and lost it. The rest of the song went smoothly and went the ending came where you need to belt multiple high notes I felt certain that I could do it. Then, I belted with all my strength using my falsetto and hit the notes cleanly. After the show was over I was approached by multiple friends saying I was great and some people I didn't even know came up to me telling me to keep singing because my voice was unbelievable. The Director of Fine Arts and UIL who is the overseer of choir came up to me saying that I stole the show and didn't need to show off. This scholarship would help benefit my musicianship by getting me into college and not having to pay by pulling out loans. With this money I could continue my growth in singing and even take piano and guitar lessons in colleges since they are offered. Some of my awards include making it to pre area being ( 2nd, 5th and 4th chair) so far throughout my 3 years of high school but having to stop their due to colliding dates with other state competitions. This year as a senior I am focusing hard to take the 1st chair position and advance all the way to state in choir. I have also been the men section leader at my high school this year(Senior) and last year(Junior) and I am heavily relied on to keep the men in check and focused in the class. I have also received 1's on every solo since 7th grade choir even advancing to state Junior year and getting a 1 again.