Baraboo High School won third place in the Management Competition component of the 2005 ProStart® Invitational, a statewide high school culinary and foodservice management competition held at the Wisconsin Restaurant Expo this March in Milwaukee.

Seventeen schools competed in this year’s competition, which consisted of two components: a Management Competition and a Culinary Competition. The Management Competition consisted of a Case Study Competition and the Knowledge Bowl. For the Culinary Competition, foodservice industry professionals and college educators judged contestants on teamwork, presentation, cooking procedures and sanitation.

First place in the Management Competition went to the Sheboygan North High School team, while second place went to Waterford High School. Third place went to the Baraboo team, consisting of Drew Brinker, Amy Kledzik, Matt Welke and Justin Wickus. Their instructor is Cate Gasser.

First place in the Culinary Competition went to Sheboygan North. Second place went to Badger High School from Lake Geneva, while Waukesha South High School took third place.

The overall winner for a second year in a row was the Sheboygan North team, consisting of Shane McWilliams, Jon Moran, Nicole Rudie and Mathew Wiltzius. Their instructor is Karen Sullivan. The team has now earned a trip to compete in the national finals, to be held in Orlando, Florida April 24-27, 2005.

The ProStart program, administered by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) and state restaurant associations, is a two-year curriculum designed to teach high school students the management skills needed for a career in the restaurant and foodservice industry. Students also have the opportunity to participate in paid internships where industry managers mentor them. When students meet academic standards, complete a checklist of competencies, and participate in at least 400 hours of a mentored work experience, they are awarded the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement that signifies they are well qualified to enter the industry workforce.

To learn more about the NRAEF or ProStart program, please visit www.nraef.org/prostart or call (312) 715-1010.

PHOTOS FROM THIS EVENT ARE AVAILABLE BY DOWNLOAD AT www.www.wirestaurant.org/downloads

- END -

Since 1933, the Wisconsin Restaurant Association has been dedicated to the promotion, protection and improvement of the foodservice industry.