Culinary Arts students represent CTE at ProStart competition

Nine students from CTE's Culinary Arts program traveled to Lansing last month to take part in the annual ProStart competition. Accompanying the students were instructors Heidi Rocha and Tara Dutcher, as well as a handful of parents and former CA students.

The ProStart Competition is put on by the Michigan Restaurant Association. More than 20 schools from around the state compete in areas such as Culinary, Management, ServSafe Quiz Bowl, Nutrition, Menu Design and Table Top Design. The purpose of the competition is to apply what students have learned through the ProStart curriculum. Numerous college representatives and industry professionals attend and judge the competition. Clare-Gladwin CTE students competed in the areas of Nutrition, ServSafe Quiz Bowl and Table Top Design. The Table Top Design team took third place, earning a $3,000 scholarship each to Sullivan University in Louisville.

"For the Table Top team, I was very impressed by their unique design concept," Rocha said. "All of the students are from families who love to hunt, so they based it on that theme. They really drew from their personal experience and made it their own.

"With regard to all of the students, there were some very challenging situations that arose during competition," Rocha added. "We were very proud of the positive attitudes and level of professionalism that students displayed. It may have been a defining moment for all of them."

"Our students represented CTE and their home schools with a great deal of class and composure," said CTE Program Evaluator Tom House. "We're grateful to our sponsors who helped make it possible for our students to attend this event."

Those sponsors included:

• Athey Precision Inc.
• Langley Small Engine Repair
• Federal Broach & Machine Co., L.L.C.
• Ponderosa Steakhouse - Clare
• Mid-Michigan Foam
• Robinson Industries
• NCS Construction
• Pioneer Pole Buildings
• Create It - Beaverton