ProStart competitions took place March 8 and 9 in Orlando
Staff Reports
Wekiva High School Magnet Academy of Culinary Arts placed highly in statewide high school hospitality competitions early this month.
Four hundred students from over 40 Florida high schools vied in several events at the 24th annual Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) ProStart Culinary Team Competitions on March 8 and 9 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando. The competition events were culinary, management, edible centerpiece and waiter’s relay.
“We are incredibly proud of the talent and dedication shown by these students during the 24th annual ProStart and HTM events,” said Laura Rumer, director of the FRLA Educational Foundation. “These competitions highlight their skills and passion for the industry. It’s inspiring to see so many receive scholarships and recognition for their hard work. Congratulations to all the winners, and we look forward to seeing them represent Florida at the national ProStart Invitational in Washington, D.C. this May.”
WHS culinary arts instructor Christopher Bates ranked third as overall winner at the 24th annual Florida ProStart Competition.
Wekiva High School won second place in the Keiser University Culinary Competition, which included students Erika Giraldo, Nowah James, Diego German-Quen, Jasmine Thomas, and David Maldonado and Bates.
Wekiva High School also won first place in the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management Competition. This competition included students Onyx Castillo, Zariah Edwards, Isaac Aristud, Aubrey Pugh and Bates.
At the salute to excellence award ceremony, winners received scholarships from the Culinary Institute of America, Culinary Institute of Virginia, Florida International University, Keiser University, Nicholls State University, and the University of Central Florida’s (UCF) Rosen College of Hospitality.
Culinary competition winners also earned full scholarships to Hillsborough Culinary Academies at Erwin Technical College.
First place teams in culinary and management will represent Florida at the national ProStart Invitational in Washington, D.C. this May.
“As the state’s top industry, hospitality is at the heart of Florida’s economy, and these high school students are its future,” Carol Dover, FRLA president/CEO, said in a press release. “We are thrilled to support their growth through programs like ProStart and HTM [Hospitality and tourism Management Competition], which provide them with the skills and opportunities needed to succeed in this dynamic field. With the largest ProStart program nationwide and the unique distinction of being the only state to host a statewide HTM contest, we remain committed to nurturing the next generation of industry leaders.”
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