February 23, 2018
PACS Student Has Successful Baking Business
On any given day at Prince Avenue Christian School, a visitor might observe snack time or meal time. Most students are eating something quick packed from home or one of the well-prepared school lunches. However, one student enjoys sharing something special with her friends.
“I love baking for people and seeing their reactions when they eat my creations,” explains Delaney Cook, a junior at PACS. “I was bringing the things I baked to school. I would give them away to whoever wanted them, but my friends told me I needed to start selling them, which turned into Delaney’s Delights.”
Delaney’s Delights is the privately-owned and run baking business started one year ago by Delaney Cook at the encouragement of her PACS friends. Delaney bakes cookies, cupcakes, and Whoopie pies and sells them for birthday parties, bridal luncheons, work and Christmas parties, and many other special occasions.
Delaney has attended Prince Avenue for eight years and is heavily involved in student life as a member of the Varsity Girls Golf team, as a Barnabas high school mentor, and as a member of the Beta Club, National Honors Society, and Interact club. In addition, Delaney attends Athens Church and is active in a small group. She also spends time at her mother’s local business, Activekidz, helping children during physical therapy sessions or working in the office. One might assume that with all of this responsibility, Delaney would have assistance with the ongoing demands of her baking business, but Delaney is very hands-on.
“I like to meet all of my customers myself to give it a more personal touch. I also created my website and social media pages. I do not have any employees, but sometimes my parents will help me if I have a lot to do.”
Delaney’s parents have also been helpful with the financial side of running a business. However, they credit Delaney with having the work ethic and ingenuity to succeed at this endeavor. Delaney’s father, Kendall Cook, describes her hard work and the life lessons she is learning. “The responsibility it takes to prepare her treats, deliver them exactly as the customer wants them, and deliver them on time is the life lesson. She is learning about supply and demand at an early age, and that can only help her in life. Delaney has created this by herself. We have been there to answer any questions she may have, but she has done it all on her own. We are so proud!”
Although only a junior, this is actually Delaney’s second business endeavor. Her first product was handmade soap, but Delaney found soap less enjoyable than the excitement of seeing her customers enjoy her delightful edible treats. And her customers are spreading the word. Delaney’s only advertisement is through her social media accounts and referrals.
Delaney credits Prince Avenue teachers with encouraging a strong work ethic, showing her the importance of time management, and teaching her the importance of honesty with her clients and her money. In addition, some of her teachers are her most enthusiastic customers. “Delaney is as great a baker as she is a student,” says high school math teacher Meagan Caylor. “She is intelligent and creative, and she brings that to her delicious desserts. Her specialty is whoopie pies. All the students who have had them love them, and I do as well! She has also done a fantastic job marketing herself on Instagram.”
Surprisingly, even with the business success she enjoys, Delaney’s future goals do not include business. “I am interested in going to the University of Georgia, and then I would like to go to medical school to be a pediatric medical geneticist.”
Some might think this is a field far from her current endeavors, but Delaney does not think so. “My job in the future won’t have anything to do with baking, but I would still love to do it on the side.”
And one cannot deny that for Delaney, those aspirations are very sweet.
Written by: Amy Frierson
