Decorating Christmas Cookies with First "Class" Cookies is a fabulous way to start our week! We had such a fun time with Sharon Laster AND her grandson, 2019 UCCEO alum, Jackson Laster, who was with us via Zoom from his home near Arlington, Washington!
Sharon began by telling us about her story and how First Class Cookies came to be. After retiring from the Illinois State Police, Sharon took her hobby and love of baking and decorating cookies and began to offer cookie decorating classes. First Class Cookies was born! It’s been several years and First Class Cookies is a thriving side hustle! Sharon loves meeting people and sharing her love of baking and decorating and offers monthly classes, usually held at Kiki’s Coffeehouse.
After graduation from AJCHS, Jackson attended and graduated from St Louis University with a degree in data analytics. During his sophomore year at SLU, he attended an open interview opportunity at Busch Stadium with the St Louis Cardinals. Drawing from his CEO experience, he dressed in khakis and a polo, business casual. When he arrived, be noticed most everyone else was in casual dress, shorts, jeans and tshirts. A gentleman approached him and struck up a conversation. He was one of the upper level managers and noticed that Jackson looked professional. This encounter ended up with Jackson working there for 2 seasons as a supervisor in the Cardinal Club Lounge.
During his junior year, he applied for and got an internship with Anheuser Busch. Upon completion, he had an exit interview that led to an offer for a full time position after graduation. That is how he ended up in Washington as a Safety Supervisor for one of their warehouses. He has recently received a promotion to Operations Supervisor beginning in January, 2025. Jackson encouraged the team today, “don’t put your guard up” and to be open to opportunities. His first position as a safety supervisor was a little outside of his wheelhouse but he jumped in and learned what he needed to know to do the job. This led to this new position which is more in line with his degree and prior experience. What a great life lesson for our team!
Sharon has been an avid supporter of UCCEO since Jackson was a student and has been a mentor for the last two years. She is a wonderful example of giving back to your community in several different ways and we appreciate all that she does.
After Jackson’s presentation, we got busy with the decorating! The students had a great time and their creativity was sparked. As much as they enjoyed the decorating, eating the fruits of their labor was even better! Thank you to Sharon and to Jackson for their enthusiasm, support and willingness to give back their community and our program!
