Steven Oats, a 16-year- old high school student at Sickles High School is an aspiring pastry chef. Steven has been baking and decorating cakes since the age of 10. Steven was creative as a young child, always sketching out his visions of things he wanted to make or design.

While helping his great-grandmother, Callie Crawford prepare cakes for her late brother’s barbeque restaurant, Big John’s Alabama BBQ, Steven thought to himself, “I can do that!”

He chose Sickles high School because of the history of its culinary department and the culinary teacher, Chef Rick Ceglio.

Chef Rick will be taking Steven along with 12 other students to Europe this summer for a tour of Italy. They will have the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful, historic parts of Italy while learning about their food and techniques of cooking and pastries.

Steven will be having a fundraiser this Sunday, May 15, 2011 at Big John’s Alabama Barbeque, 5707 N. 40th Street, to help raise money for his trip overseas. The event will start at 4 p. m. and a small donation (tax deductible) is requested.

Steven’s mother is Paula Stevens-Jones, and his grandmother is Martha Stevens.