EHS is proud to highlight senior Malena Smith.  Malena is an EHS senior and small business owner.  When asked about her experience she shared the following with us:

"Hi! I’m Malena Smith, the 18-year-old founder of Malena’s Magnificence LLC.  I started this business at 17 when my busy sports and school schedule made it impossible to find a "normal" job. I finally listened to everyone who told me to sell my treats, and I’ve been going strong since my first cake pop sale on March 13, 2025.

Baking has been my life since I was 5 years old. I spent every weekend at my grandmother’s house baking; I even remember crying in a closet once because we didn't bake and I thought she hated me! That passion turned into catering everything from memorials and nurse appreciation weeks to my own high school prom. 

While I’ve pulled the 10-hour shifts after school and the all-nighters to prep for festivals, I wouldn't be here without my two biggest inspirations: my grandmother Denise and my dad Matt.

My grandma taught me everything I know and is the most selfless person I’ve ever met—helping me bake for gigs even after her own long days as a job coach. And my dad, who has worked 100-hour weeks but would still offer to help me bake on two hours of sleep just so I could rest. I’m the one who started this, but their support is what made it possible to achieve all of this at 18."