June 9, 2025
Mykale Baker says he didn’t clock in the night of his graduation. Without pay, he just wanted to be of service to his Burger King team.
Mykale Baker, a Georgia teen, went to work on graduation night. Without a uniform or name tag, Baker went to work, wearing only a graduation stole and medal. He has since been gifted with over $200K in donations towards his future.
After graduating from Mill Creek High School, Baker stopped at Burger King, his place of employment, to get a late-night meal. Noticing that his coworkers were struggling to keep up with orders, he hopped on the food line to help.
While in the drive-thru, Maria Mendoza noticed the upbeat high school graduate making burgers with a smile. She took a video of the teen to share not only his joy but his work ethic with TikTok. Her initial video highlighted Mykale, who sacrificed a night dedicated to his own personal accomplishments to help his coworkers.
Mendoza’s caption was simple: “This young man deserves a scholarship.”
Baker said he didn’t start working because he wanted to earn money. Without pay, he joined the burger line to serve his team.
“I wasn’t even clocked in,” Baker told CBS News. “I just put gloves on and said, ‘What do you all need help with?’
May 22, the video of Baker was posted to TikTok and quickly gained traction. Mendoza set up a GoFundMe for the new graduate, and supporters showed up and out. Some questioned whether Baker would receive the funds, but within a few days, Baker met with Mendoza at Burger King and informed the teen that he was $6,000 richer.
“I like helping people and not expecting anything back from it,” Baker told CBS News. “That’s just me.” “I knew that all the good I put out there is going to come back to me somehow,” he continued.
Since the initial video, the GoFundMe for Mykale has raised $200,664. Burger King has also awarded both Mykale and Mendoza’s daughters with $10,000 scholarships. Indeed, all the good he put out into the world has come back to him. Baker initially intended to take a gap year before attending college due to financial constraints. It seems that will no longer stand in his way. The selfless young man is planning to enroll in Gwinnett Technical College in the fall.
When asked what he would like to pursue, he said “auto mechanics” without hesitation.
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