Baltimore and Howard County Students take top honors at Maryland ProStart Student Invitational
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On Wednesday March 5, 2008 the Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation (MHEF) held the 4th annual Maryland ProStart Student Invitational at Martin’s Crosswinds in Greenbelt, Maryland. Twenty high schools competed in the team culinary competition, while ten teams participated in the management competition and quiz bowl.
The team from the Howard County Applications and Research Laboratory took first place in the culinary competition under the direction of chef instructor Elaine Heilman. Their menu consisted of a Maryland Crab Empanada, Bacon wrapped Muscovy Duck Torchon and a Saffron Ginger Panna Cotta. Pictured below with teacher Heilman, team members Eric Olean (alternate), Alexander Morris, Ryan Meliker, Tyler Weedon and Kara Lovalvo had been working on and perfecting this menu for months leading up to the competition.
The team from the Howard County Applications and Research Laboratory took first place in the culinary competition under the direction of chef instructor Elaine Heilman. Their menu consisted of a Maryland Crab Empanada, Bacon wrapped Muscovy Duck Torchon and a Saffron Ginger Panna Cotta. Pictured below with teacher Heilman, team members Eric Olean (alternate), Alexander Morris, Ryan Meliker, Tyler Weedon and Kara Lovalvo had been working on and perfecting this menu for months leading up to the competition.
“We did it again!”exclaimed Heilman when the Howard County ARL was announced as the winner in front of over 400 people at the awards dinner ceremony held after the competition. Last year, the Howard County ARL won first place in the same competition and went on to place 5th in the country at the National ProStart Student Invitational. The Maryland Hospitality Education Foundation will pay all the expenses necessary to send the team to the national competition which will be held in San Diego, California in late April. The Carver Center for the Arts in Baltimore County and Sherwood High School in Montgomery County placed second and third, respectively, in the culinary competition.
The Management Competition consisted of a hospitality case study and quiz bowl in which the first place honors went to the Carver Center for the Arts in Baltimore County. MHEF will also be paying the expenses necessary to send the Carver Center team to the national competition. 
Over $750,000 in scholarship packages were available to the top three teams competing in the Invitational. Platinum Scholarship Sponsor McCormick and Culinary Competition Sponsor Whole Foods Market each provided $500 scholarships to all the students on the first place teams. These scholarships are transferable to any school. At the National ProStart Invitational in April, these teams will represent Maryland and compete for even more scholarship money, prizes and national bragging rights.
For video of the culinary competition, click here.
For more information about the ProStart program, click here or contact LaDeana Litchfield at (800) 874-1313 ext. 1015.
