On to Nationals!

The Entrepreneurship students.

The Culinary Arts students

Family and Consumer Science classes at Lakeside High School (taught by Mrs. Maureen Fanion) offer our teens opportunities to explore a variety of career choices in the hospitality/food service industry, which includes management, culinary arts, entrepreneurship, hospitality, and travel. In the ProStart classes, students learn about one of the largest, fastest-growing industries in the state; based on input from restaurant and hospitality professionals nationwide, the ProStart Program offers both the work experience and the classroom learning needed to succeed. There are also competitions for students to showcase their skills.

At the end of March, seven of our most promising ProStart students traveled to South Seattle Community College to participate in the 2007 Washington Restaurant Association (WRA) Education Foundation ProStart Invitational. Competing under the glare of top industry chefs, the team won first place in the knowledge bowl portion of the competition, a written test and Jeopardy-style match that measures industry terminology and concepts knowledge. The team placed second in the restaurant management part of the competition, including case study scenarios in addition to the knowledge bowl. The students also placed third in the All-Around winner category, which includes the combined points of the competition’s two main events: culinary, which includes cooking and knife skills, and restaurant management, which includes knowledge bowl and case study.

Teams from 28 schools around the state participated in the competition, presented by Boyd Coffee Company. The invitational is part of a two-year program aimed at helping high school students launch successful careers in one of Washington’s leading industries. The ProStart program, which was created by the National Restaurant Association, is managed locally by the WRA Education Foundation in partnership with the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The program is in 50 schools throughout the state.

In addition, Mrs. Fanion advises the high school’s Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Club. Students involved in this extra-curricular club carry out and evaluate community service projects and activities. Through FCCLA projects, students sort out thoughts, analyze situations, set goals, interact with others, apply classroom knowledge, and become strong and effective leaders.

FCCLA also provides competitions for students. In April, Mrs. Fanion took 19 students to the FCCLA State Competition in Wenatchee. At the competition, Two students competed in the Culinary Arts category. They created a menu and presented a professional portfolio. These two students will continue on to the National competition this summer in Anaheim, California. There, they will compete in a Iron Chef Challenge; they will be given a meal to prepare in one hour. Chefs will evaluate them on Teamwork, Timing, Technique, Presentation, Waste, and Planning.

Joining them at Nationals is a team of three freshmen. They will be competing in the Entrepreneurship category. This year, they ran the high school’s Espresso Coffee Stand, and used it as the basis for their business plan. They will present this plan and a professional portfolio at Nationals in Anaheim.

Congratulations and Good Luck!

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