Everywhere you go, there will always be those people who are friends with everyone and can light up a room with their vibrant personalities. One of these people I have had the privilege to know in my life is Emma Denton. Emma is always sweet, and very open and friendly with everyone she meets.

Emma is a senior here at McCracken County High School. Some interesting facts about Emma include that she has a two-year-old daughter named Adalyn Gray, and she holds two state titles, one for Recycle and Redesign for FCCLA, and the other in Culinary Arts for Skills USA, and she is going to Nationals for both of those competitions. She is also good at crocheting and knitting, she is a very avid reader, she mentioned this year alone she has probably read at least 20,000 pages!

Emma recently won the state title for culinary arts for Skills USA, so when asked where she found her passion for culinary, Emma responded, “I’m not gonna lie, I found my passion for culinary arts through Tasty videos on Facebook! I thought it was so cool how they could make all of those unique dishes and I wanted to be able to do that. So I signed up for culinary classes with Mrs. Woodruff, who got me an internship at the Freight House which just encouraged me to pursue my interests in culinary.” Then, when asked who her inspiration professionally and personally was, she replied, “My inspiration is 100% chef Sara Bradley who owns Freight House. She’s the most amazing chef I’ve ever met and she’s the best mentor anyone could ever have. She’s hilarious, kind, generous, and such a great teacher. It’s hard not to look up to her.”

With all of the responsibilities on her plate with being a senior in high school, getting ready to go to college, an internship, and being a mom, Emma doesn’t get too much downtime. But the time she does get, Emma said she is likely at home snuggled with Adalyn watching The Grinch, reading a book, or eating at Jasmine’s. After high school, Emma plans on attending Murray State University and studying Pre-Med, and then going on to Nashville or UK to receive her doctorate. Then, when she is old enough to retire, she would like to open up her own restaurant or bakery!

One teacher Emma said has had a big impact on her life is Mrs. Woodruff. “She has pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me find my passion. She convinced me to compete for Skills USA in the culinary arts division, helped me get an amazing internship turned job, and she encourages me to expand my horizons when it comes to cooking! She’s awesome and one of the best teachers at this school!” Emma has definitely changed and grown a lot since her freshman year here at McCracken. When asked what advice she would give her freshman self, Emma said, “If I could give freshman Emma advice I would tell her: stop being so self-conscious, focus on clubs rather than sports, don’t go so heavy on the eyeliner, and try new foods you just might like them!”

Emma has given so much in her time here at MCHS, so we should definitely relay that support and be behind her as she continues to do great things in her future!