Meet Michelle, a very proud member of Class 65

Michelle comes from a big family that includes 7 brothers and 3 sisters. She was raised in Conover, NC and is a graduate of Cherryville High School. Growing up, Michelle and her siblings were fixtures in her home’s kitchen, with everyone cooking meals for the entire family. Michelle always had a passion for cooking. In fall 2019, she attended and graduated from the Northwest Culinary School located in Washington State. It was very hard to find a job there after graduation, and Michelle missed her children (she is a mother of 5) and grandchildren (she has 15). So she decided to move back to her home state of North Carolina.

Michelle says she has never been someone “who simply just sat around and did nothing.” She wanted more culinary training, and heard about Community Culinary School from a counselor at the Charlotte Area Fund. Michelle says coming to the school has been one of the best choices she has made in her life. She enjoys the fellowship with the other students in the class and says she has learned something from each of them.  Michelle’s favorite training is the ‘Baking’ station. After graduation, she wants to find a job connected to her passion for baking.

Michelle’s love for her family, especially her grandchildren, has served as an inspiration to continue moving forward in the program, but she admits she has experienced some challenges along the way, including an unstable housing situation as well as ensuring steady transportation getting to and from school. Michelle becomes emotional when she talks about how the school has assisted her finding resources to manage both of these challenges. CCSC, in turn, is very proud to have Michelle as student and soon to be alumnus of the school.