Student Highlights: Sierra Garner

Surrounded by the sweet yeasty aroma, Sierra Garner smiled behind the glass cases filled with baked goods where she works when not in school.

Garner is a senior at North Moore High School in Robbins and is a lifetime High Falls resident.

“My whole family lives on the same street,” she said.

Robbins is one of the smaller towns in Moore County, which offers the flavor of returning to one’s roots when strolling down the sidewalks, and that is what Garner plans.

“I want to be a high school science teacher, here,” Garner said. “I was inspired by my seventh and eighth-grade teacher, Mr. Robert Raupp. He worked with us and gave us personal attention. It’s a big thing to do with students, and I really want to work with seniors.”

Garner said she is leaning toward science because she fell in love with chemistry.

Sierra Garner talks about her plans on Feb. 3, 2023, at Middleton Street Bake Shop in Robbins.

Garner works 20 hours each week at the Middleton Street Bake Shop. It is a quaint shop, owned by Cary Ritter.

“I started as a cashier. In my family, we have always been cooks and bakers. I do cakes and donuts. My favorite is the Hershey chocolate cake. It is a best seller. On Saturdays, we have donut day,” Garner said.

She sat up taller as she explained all the ingredients were homemade.

“We use real fruit to make our fillings,” Garner said about the blackberry and raspberry donut fillings. “We make the vanilla filling from scratch, too.”

On Sundays, when the family meets for dinner at her grandmother’s house, Linda Russell, Garner takes baked treats for her cousins and small baked treats for her youngest cousins.

“I’m not really big on sweets,” Garner said about resisting too many baked goods. “I’m more of a salty kind of person.”

Garner is saving for college and wants to attend Sandhills Community College (SCC) and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

“I just applied for a new scholarship, the Peg Kirkpatrick Girls Silver Foils Golf Scholarship,” Garner said.

She is an A and B student and on Jan. 27, was signed to play on the SCC golf team.

“My motto is to put God first,” Garner said.

Whether she is baking, studying, golfing, or spending time with family, Garner said she works hard.

“I do my best and don’t give up,” Garner said.

Student Highlight: Sierra Garner

Sierra Garner enjoys working February 3, 2023, at Middleton Street Bake Shop in Robbins.

From behind the bakery showcase, Garner offered the remaining items, cookies, cupcakes, and cinnamon rolls.

“We don’t have a lot left. People buy us out,” Garner said.

No napkins are needed for the yeasty cinnamon rolls because people lick the crumbs off their fingers. They are that wonderful and so buttery.

When hometown goodness meets exceptional work ethics, Moore County has a lot to look forward to when Sierra Garner returns home from college.

Email your nominations for the Student Highlight feature to [email protected].

Feature photo: Sierra Garner enjoys working on Feb. 3, 2023, at Middleton Street Bake Shop in Robbins.

~Article, photos, and video by Sandhills Sentinel Journalist Stephanie M. Sellers.

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