Baking experience for the CIA?

So I am 15 and want to go to the Culinary Institute of America (St. Helena, CA) for baking and cake decorating. They say that you need 9 months of hands on experience to get in with at least 10-15 hours a week. I thought of working at a local bakery, but I have little to no experience (until I go to NY in the summer for a day at CIA to get the experience of about 5 hours). What do I do to get the experience at a local bakery? Is it hard? Is it worth getting paid minimum wage or not even paid at all? If I tell them that I don't even have to get paid, will they hire me? Do I need experience before I start work? What kind of work will I be doing? I need hands on experience. Thanks!