JA 18 Under 18 2024
CALEB HAYES
During the pandemic, kids had to navigate online school and lockdown life. Caleb, then 13, also used the time to start a business. The tenth grader and honor student at Bard Early College already had an interest in baking, STEM, and all-natural, locally sourced foods; he brought those interests together to create Flour x Butter Baking Company. Using money he saved from an internship he held shadowing a local chef, he purchased his LLC and can now be found selling his custom creations—like blueberry-basil muffins and ensaïmadas—at Baltimore’s 32nd Street Farmers Market. A driven and dedicated young person, he is a member of the Baltimore Children’s Business Association and has been recognized as an up-and-coming entrepreneur by The United Way of Central Maryland. Always one to share his love of food, Caleb volunteers at his school, his local church, at the Franciscan Center, and delivers his tasty treats to the underserved in the community.
“Caleb’s innovative mindset has allowed him to identify unique solutions and opportunities that others might overlook.” —Laura John, nominator