YouthEntity to Bring ProStart® to the Roaring Fork School District
National management and culinary program provides aspiring restaurant and food service professionals with real life experience. Volunteers, partners, and students needed!
Carbondale-based non-profit YouthEntity announced recently that it will be implementing the ProStart program during the 2012-2013 school year for high school students in the Roaring Fork School District.
Colorado ProStart is a high school hospitality education program of the Colorado Restaurant Association and the Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association. ProStart is a two-year foodservice/hospitality management and business entrepreneurship curriculum offered primarily to high school juniors and seniors. ProStart is a nationally certified education program of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. The program is a competency based study of food preparation, lodging, customer service, and business management coupled with 400 hours of industry-mentored paid work internships in a broad spectrum of operations. The ProStart curriculum is currently being implemented in 26 high schools and to more than 650 students throughout Colorado. Nationally, ProStart is offered in 47 states and serves more than 93,000 students annually. The ProStart program currently provides for high school, college academic credit through the ProStart Post-Secondary Passport, scholarships, and employment opportunities. Last year, Colorado ProStart graduates received more than 1.5 million dollars to go on to post-secondary education.
“We are excited to partner with the YouthEntity organization to offer the Colorado ProStart Program, college credit and scholarship opportunities to high school students in the Roaring Fork School District,” said Mary Mino, president of the Colorado Restaurant Association Education Foundation. “No other national program so effectively brings the restaurant and hospitality community and the classroom together to provide students and teachers with access to relevant, real-world educational opportunities and life-changing experiences.”
Foodservice is one of the nation’s fastest growing industries, currently employing 12.8 million workers. The industry is expected to add 2 million jobs over the next decade, with 47,000 of those positions in management.
“There is a wealth of diverse opportunities for young people in the restaurant and foodservice industry,” said Kirsten Petre McDaniel, Executive Director, YouthEntity. “The ProStart program will help us prepare students for those opportunities and establish a foundation for further learning whether the students immediately pursue foodservice careers or go on to hospitality management or culinary programs at the college level. ProStart also builds on our already successful YouthChefs backing and pastry arts program coached by volunteer Master Chef Christine Bergstrom. This summer, YouthChefs graduates interned at Restaurant Six89 and Pulman thanks to Chef/Owner Mark Fischer and other graduates are now studying at Johnson & Wales. YouthEntity is currently undergoing a $25,000 renovation of the kitchen at YouthEntity to support the expansion of our culinary program including the introduction of ProStart. Also, the extensive focus ProStart has on the business aspects of the food service industry is a great addition to our business experience programs.”
The ProStart program gives high school juniors and seniors the chance to explore career opportunities and gain the skills needed to operate and manage a foodservice operation by pairing academic learning with on-the-job experience. As part of the ProStart program, YouthEntity will combine knowledge building with the opportunity for students to participate in mentored work experiences at local restaurants. During the mentored work experience, students get hands-on experience in different areas of the foodservice industry. The work directly with industry professionals who serve as mentors to make sure the students are getting as much as possible out of the work experience and have the chance to practice what thye learn at YouthEntity.
“This latest YouthEntity venture will be another great opportunity for students in the Roaring Fork School District that is an exceptional example of what results from collaborative efforts between the school district and our innovative and generous non-profit community. We are looking forward to the addition of this high level career oriented program for our students.” – Judy Haptonstall, Superintendent, Roaring Fork School District
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. Students who achieve the National Certificate of Achievement have access to scholarships and articulation agreements with leading colleges and universities.
Volunteer and Partnership Opportunities:
Here are some of the many ways YOU can get involved with ProStart at YouthEntity:
- Instruct a class, or be a guest speaker. YouthEntity seeks adults and industry experts as volunteer instructors. Some desired volunteers include: chefs, restaurant/hotel/hospitality managers, caterers, human resources professionals, food safety professionals, buyers, nutritionists, environmental health professionals, teachers, counselors, communications professionals, business owners.
- Sponsor a student or purchase of class materials. Student enrollment costs $100 per year, help sponsor a student in need of financial assistance by making a $100 donation to YouthEntity. Or, make a donation to YouthEntity’s ProStart program to help with general purchase of class supplies and materials.
- Provide employment for students gaining industry work experience. Are you a hotel or restaurant owner/manager? Hire YouthEntity ProStart students at your business and help mentor them through their 400 hours of work experience.
- Make a general donation to YouthEntity. Programs such as ProStart wouldn’t exist without financial support from people like you. Making a donation to YouthEntity helps the organization provide ProStart and other needed services to the community.
For more information or to get involved, contact Brooke Tuveson, Program Director, at 970.379.5608 or brooke@youthentity.org.
Student Enrollment:
Now enrolling for the 2012-2013 school year! Student enrollment information is available by contacting Brooke Tuveson, Program Director, at 970.379.5608 or brooke@youthentity.org. Participating students must attend a Roaring Fork School District high school.
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YouthEntity (Computers for Kids Foundation) is a non profit organization that provides real world learning experiences to valley youth that build technological skills, develop financial knowledge and cultivate business experience. YouthEntity is the winner of the Spencer & Julie Penrose Award for outstanding not for profit in Colorado and a Telly Award winner.
More information at YouthEntity.org, YouthEntity Facebook, YouthEntity YouTube