News & Information
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| For Immediate Release |
Contact: Andy Deloney |
| May 1, 2007 |
517/377-3931 |
Fruitport HS team takes fourth place honors at the sixth annual National ProStart® Student Invitational
Students earn scholarships to continue their education
LANSING – Students from Fruitport High School won fourth place in a culinary competition at the 6th Annual National ProStart Student Invitational, held April 20-22 at The Westin in Charlotte, NC. The competition brought together the top teams from 34 states, territories and districts to battle for medals, prizes and scholarships in both a culinary and management competition. For their success, the students were awarded a $1,500 scholarship from the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and the Coca-Cola Company, the competition’s premier sponsor, along with a knife kit and other cooking tools. Fruitport High School also won $500 from the NRAEF and The Coca-Cola Company to put towards its ProStart program.
“These talented students represented not only their school, but the entire state of Michigan at the National ProStart Student Invitational,” said Rob Gifford, president and chief executive officer of the Michigan Restaurant Association (MRA). “This competition was the culmination of a lot of hard work by the students, teachers and mentors, and we couldn’t be more proud of them.”
The Fruitport culinary team consisted of Jamie Adams, Heather Kane, Jayne Mead, and Caitlin Tokarczyk. Becky Hinton was the alternate. They participated at this year’s event under the instruction of Michal Wheeler. To place in the culinary competition, the team prepared a starter, entrée and dessert within 60 minutes and was judged on categories including taste, presentation, safety, sanitation and teamwork.
The team’s success at the National ProStart Student Invitational followed their triumph at the state competition, which they had to win to qualify. The Michigan ProStart Student Invitational took place in March in Lansing.
The ProStart program, administered by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and state restaurant associations, is a two-year curriculum teaching high school students the management skills needed for a career in the restaurant industry. Students also participate in paid internships under industry mentors. When students meet academic standards, complete a checklist of competencies, and participate in at least 400 hours of a mentored work experience, they are awarded the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement that signifies they are well qualified to enter the industry workforce.
Founded in 1921, the Michigan Restaurant Association represents more than 4,500 Michigan foodservice establishments. The foodservice industry plays an integral role in Michigan’s economy, employing more than 436,000 people and creating more than $11.3 billion in total annual sales. For more information, call (517) 482-5244.
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