News & Information
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| For Immediate Release |
Contact: Andy Deloney |
March 2, 2010
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517/377-3931 |
Hospitality Students to Mix it Up at Michigan ProStart®
Student Competition in Frankenmuth
LANSING – 40 teams from 13 schools across Michigan will meet in Frankenmuth on March 15 for the annual Michigan ProStart® Student Competition, presented by the Michigan Restaurant Association Educational Support Foundation (MRA ESF). The statewide competition will be held at the Bavarian Inn and includes culinary, management, menu design and knowledge bowl disciplines.
“The ProStart Student Competition is not only a great educational opportunity, it also is an excellent opportunity for students to demonstrate their culinary and hospitality management knowledge,” said Rob Gifford, president and chief executive officer of the MRA. “The competition allows teachers, students and the industry to connect the ProStart curriculum to real life experiences.”
Participating teams in the culinary discipline, sponsored by Sysco, will demonstrate their creative abilities through the preparation of a meal consisting of a starter, entrée, and dessert in one hour. Their performance during the practical section will be observed and rated by industry professionals as well as leading post-secondary college and university instructors.
Teams participating in the management discipline, sponsored by Gordon Food Service, demonstrate their knowledge of the restaurant and foodservice industry by developing a restaurant proposal for a new restaurant concept, delivering a verbal presentation, and applying critical thinking skills to operational challenges that managers face day to day.
Participants in the menu design discipline, sponsored by U.S. Foodservice, will demonstrate their knowledge of marketing and menus by developing creative menu boards and menu displays, reflective of a standard restaurant concept. A written menu analysis will also be submitted to the professional industry judging panel. In addition, the students will have a critical thinking session with the judges.
The knowledge bowl discipline is a “Jeopardy!” style, question-and-answer event that tests the participants’ knowledge of the hospitality business.
The winning teams in the culinary and management disciplines will be sent to Kansas City, MO April 30 – May 2 to compete against teams from across the country at the National ProStart Student Invitational. The winning Michigan teams will compete for the national title and scholarship opportunities.
The complete list of participating schools:
- Boyne City High School, Boyne City
- Branch Area Careers Center, Coldwater
- Clare-Gladwin RESD, Clare
- Genesee Area Skill Center, Flint
- Iosco RESA, Tawas City
- Lenawee ISD, Adrian
- Mason-Lake ISD, Scottville
- Oakland Schools Technical Campus North East, Pontiac
- Regional Career Technology Center, Ypsilanti
- Riverview High School, Riverview
- Saginaw Career Complex, Saginaw
- S and W Consortium at Saline High School, Saline
- Van Buren Technology Center, Lawrence
ProStart is a two-year curriculum designed to teach high school students the management skills needed for a career in the restaurant and foodservice industry. Students participate in paid internships where they are mentored by industry leaders. When students meet academic standards and complete a checklist of competencies, they are awarded the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement, which validates their skill sets and readiness to enter the industry workforce. ProStart involves approximately 83,000 student participants across 47 states, territories and districts. In Michigan, 60 schools and career centers use the ProStart curriculum, with over 2,700 students participating.
The Michigan Restaurant Association (MRA) is the recognized leader of Michigan's hospitality industry, providing essential services to the foodservice community. Founded in 1921, the MRA represents more than 4,500 Michigan foodservice establishments. The industry plays an integral role in Michigan's economy, employing more than 423,600 people and creating more than $13.1 billion in annual sales. For more information please call 800-968-9668.
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