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.
Four
Lakeside High School students participated in the 2008
Washington Restaurant Association (WRA)
Education
Foundation
ProStart
Invitational at the Red Lion Inn at the Park, here in Spokane, on March 6th-8th.
These students entered the Knife Skills/Culinary and the Knowledge Bowl/Case
Management competition. The knowledge bowl portion of the competition was a
written test with a Jeopardy-style match that measures
industry terminology and concepts;
case management included case study scenarios. In the knife skills/culinary
portion, the students had to develop a four course meal,
prepared in one hour, then plated
and presented to official Executive Chefs for judging in both taste and presentation.
Under the glare of top industry chefs, Lakeside High School’s students
placed fourth overall, 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. The invitational is part of a two-year
program aimed at helping high school students
launch successful
careers. 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.
