Area schools compete in hospitality competitions

The Rosen Plaza Hotel hosted the statewide annual Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation Hospitality & Tourism Management Program and ProStart Culinary competition events, and 340 Florida high school students from 46 schools competed.

Several of the winners in the 19th annual HTMP competition were from Southwest Orange County schools: Olympia, Windermere and Horizon high schools.

Olympia, with instructor Kristina Bryant, won third place overall.

Windermere came in first place in Hotel Operations. Led by instructor Heather Kelly, the team was made up of Keegan McBride, Charles Johnson, Alexandra Conley and Madeleine Empric.

In the Hospitality Project competition, Olympia came in third. The team of Annalise Blomberg, Molly Bryan and Aylin Sandboyva is led by Bryant.

Horizon won second place in the Knowledge Bowl competition, with Renata Chaves, Adrianna Mason, Gracelynn Dull and instructor Kate Restifo.

This year marked the 22nd year for the ProStart competition and the 19th year for the HTMP event.

Throughout the weekend, ProStart students competed in categories including Culinary, Management, Edible Centerpiece and Waiter’s Relay. At the Salute to Excellence Award ceremony, students were awarded for their respective competition categories. They also received scholarships from the FRLAEF and event sponsors. Winners will advance to the national ProStart Invitational in Washington, D.C., which is hosted by the National Restaurant Association, in May.

HTMP students competed in categories including Hotel Operations, Hospitality Project and the Knowledge Bowl and were also awarded scholarships from the FRLA Educational Foundation.

“This year’s ProStart and HTMP competition event featured the hard work and talent of our top hospitality students,” said Laura Rumer, director of the FRLA Educational Foundation. “It was wonderful to see the lively competition, strong teamwork and awesome school spirit of these kids and their instructors.”

“As a top destination for tourism and hospitality, it is fitting that Florida continues to lead the way in high school hospitality courses,” said Carol Dover, president & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “These competitions are important as we invest in our students who are the future of this great industry, and it is truly a thrill to see them in action.”