Someday, perhaps in Statesboro, Madeleine Nessmith hopes folks will walk into a bakery she owns or a café where she is a bakery chef and enjoy a sweet treat she made from scratch.

And the Trinity Christian School 2025 valedictorian knows her passion for baking alone won’t be enough to ensure her endeavor is a success, so she will pursue a business degree beginning in August at Georgia Southern University.

Also, Nessmith plans to enroll in the culinary program at Savannah Technical College after she completes her third year.

“Savannah Tech’s culinary program has a real specialty focus on baking,” she said. “They also help with the business side, as well. My plan is to combine the business education I receive at Georgia Southern with culinary grom Savannah Tech and my love for baking into a business.” 

Prior to heading off to her long-term goal, Nessmith accomplished her goal of becoming valedictorian for her senior class.

“Up until ninth grade I would l try really hard in school and then after that it just kind of came more naturally,” she said. “I learned good study habits and got into a study flow kind of thing and it just worked.”

For her valedictorian address, Nessmith shared the credit for her success and encouraged her fellow classmates to follow their dreams.

“I thanked everyone for helping me get to where I am,” she said. “Also, I congratulated my fellow graduates and how each one of us has walked our own unique path to get here today. I wished them luck in the respective fields that they're going to pursue after graduation.”

Nessmith said she discovered her passion for baking sweets at the same time she discovered she could merge her love of art with cooking.

“Art projects were always a hobby of mine, but then I figured out I could put art on food and make it edible,” she said. “That got me interested in cake decorating and other ways to add art to my baking. I also started learning about the variety of stuff from different cultures that you can bake.”