CUPCAKES anyone?
By: Dani Banegas
So many kids and teenagers do amazing things in our
neighborhood! This month, we introduce Finley Sheers, a student at Churchill Road Elementary School, and a McLean resident who decided to take up baking. This is how her story goes:
Finley Sheers, an 11-year-old baker, has taken the baking world by storm with her incredible talent and passion for creating delicious treats. During the COVID pandemic, Finley taught herself how to bake, and her hard work and dedication have paid off in ways she could never have imagined.
Finley’s baking skills led her to compete on the Food
Network’s Kids Baking Championship, where she
impressed judges and gained thousands of followers
on Instagram. Since then, she has started her own small business, selling her baked goods to local fans and receiving 2-3 orders a week.
In addition to her success on the Food Network,
Finley has also competed in the largest cake show
competition on the East Coast, the National Capitol
Area Cake Show. Unbelievably, our hometown hero
placed first in all four of the categories in which she
competed, and was awarded first place in the youth
category! Her participation in the competition was
featured on a new Food Network show Bake it ‘Til You Make You Make It during which she placed first in the ‘Fan Favorite’ cupcake taste challenge, beating several professional bakers and chefs.
Not only is Finley an incredibly talented baker, she also uses her skills to give back to her community. She has helped raise over $1,000 for the Arthritis Foundation by donating her cakes to the Arthritis Gala auction, as well as baking cookies for auctions in support of her little sister, who has Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.
Despite her busy schedule, Finley still manages to
balance her time between school, baking orders,
playing soccer and volleyball, practicing piano and
hanging out with friends and family. She truly is an
inspiration for those with a passion they want to pursue.
To keep up with Finley’s latest baking creations, you can follow her on Instagram @finleybakes and place orders through her email at finleybakes@gmail.com. Her talent and dedication are sure to take her far in the baking world, and we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next!
