HTMP Competition Results!
ORLANDO, Fla. (March 7, 2018) – The Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) is proud to congratulate the winners of the 15th Annual Hospitality and Tourism Management Program Competition (HTMP) which was held Monday, March 5 and Tuesday, March 6, 2018 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando.
A total of 11 schools participated in the competition with 3 schools winning top awards throughout the day’s events. Scholarships from Johnson & Wales University as well as the FRLAEF were distributed to the winning schools. All winners and participants are a part of Florida’s HTMP program, the official industry-recognized curriculum to prepare students for roles in the hotel industry and beyond. More than 2,000 students from across the state are enrolled in the program. The three main event competitions included: the Hotel Operations Competition, Hospitality Project Competition and Knowledge Bowl Competition.
Miami Beach Senior High School won first place in the overall competition. Winter Park High School took home second place in the overall competition, with Osceola High School placing third.
“These talented students represent the future of Florida’s hospitality industry and we are extremely proud to help support their education by awarding scholarships. We are passionate about investing in these inspiring, young leaders of the trade and are thrilled to celebrate their incredible talents and pursuit of successful careers,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the FRLA.
Overall Competition Winners
1st Place: Miami Beach Senior High School | Instructor: Patricia Gregory
2nd Place: Winter Park High School | Instructor: Meg Pietkiewicz
3rd Place: Osceola High School | Instructor: Valerie Woodring
Hotel Operations Competition Winners
Participating teams demonstrated their hospitality knowledge in four key topics relating to hotel operations: night audit/hotel accounting, food and beverage and guest service.
1st Place: Osceola High School | Instructor: Valerie Woodring
2nd Place: Winter Park High School | Instructor: Meg Pietkiewicz
3rd Place: Miami Beach Senior High School | Instructor: Patricia Gregory
Hospitality Project Competition Winners
Participating teams demonstrated their knowledge, skills and abilities required in planning an event to include two BEOs (Banquet Event Order) containing two different menus and set up options.
1st Place: Miami Beach Senior High School | Instructor: Patricia Gregory
2nd Place: Winter Park High School | Instructor: Meg Pietkiewicz
3rd Place: Miami Sunset High School | Instructor: Milagros Perez
Knowledge Bowl Competition Winners
Participating teams demonstrated their knowledge of the hospitality and tourism industry during this “Jeopardy Style” question and answer event.
1st Place: Miami Beach Senior High School | Instructor: Patricia Gregory
2nd Place: Oakridge High School | Instructor: Vanessa Zameza
3rd Place: Gainesville High School | Instructor: Dawn Bekaert
HTMP Teacher of the Year
The HTMP Teacher of the Year is Patricia Gregory from Miami Beach Senior High School. 
Mrs. Gregory has been involved with HTMP since 2006. She has been the Lead Teacher of the Academy of Hospitality & Tourism at Miami Beach High School since 2008. During this time, she has been instrumental in helping the Academy grow to over 300 students, helped start a new Culinary strand, and developed close connections with industry leaders on Miami Beach which lead to paid internships for all Juniors in the Academy.
Mrs. Gregory’s students refer to her as their second “MOM” and go to her with their problems, dreams and fears. She practices tough love, often forcing students to go beyond their comfort level and strive for the unreachable. According to Mrs. Gregory, her “biggest joy today is having alumni come back to thank me for what I taught them and share their success stories. The common denominator in all their stories is how well prepared they were for the next step after high school and how they continuously use everything learned through HTMP.”
Mrs. Gregory will retire from teaching on March 16, 2018. We wish her the best for her future!
FRLAEF Scholarships Awarded
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) awarded $52,000 during Florida’s Salute to Excellence Awards Dinner on Sunday, March 4, 2018. The Salute took place at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando. Congratulations to the following students:
| Michael | Adams | Lecanto High School |
| Breanna | Ahnert | South Tech Academy |
| Matthew | Arce | John A. Ferguson Senior High |
| Brianna | Arrington | Fort Pierce Central High School |
| Skyla | Bradley | Lake Wales High School |
| Brianna | Butler-Brown | Martin County High School |
| Gabriel | Cerease | Lake Worth High School |
| Taylor | Cobbler | Gainesville High School |
| Jamie | Cooney | Forest Hill High School |
| Kaley | Dawson | South Lake High School |
| Sophia | Dounaeva | East Ridge High School |
| Elizabeth | Exposito | Hialeah Senior High |
| A’zhane | Faulknor | South Lake High School |
| Christopher | Futch | Terry Parker High School |
| Sierra | Gustave | Tarpon Springs High School |
| Deena | Harry | Tarpon Springs High School |
| Alexis | Kaiser | Tarpon Springs High School |
| Daisy | Keene | Dixie Hollins High School |
| Alyssa Kristen | Lalata | Osceola High School |
| Charlee | Lutton | Lake Wales High School |
| Megan | MacDonald | Eastside High School |
| John | Maisonet | Spruce Creek High School |
| Briana | Michael | Tarpon Springs High School |
| Brooke | Miller | Palm Beach Gardens High School |
| Sebastian | Moline | Martin County High School |
| Morgan | Nissen | Winter Haven High School |
| Juana | Pascual | Martin County High School |
| Erick | Rivera | St Lucie West Centennial High School |
| Branden | Roetzel | South Tech Academy |
| KC | Solano | Coral Springs High School |
| Kayla | Thuman | Martin County High School |
| Savanna | Walker | Coral Springs High School |
Hospitality Excellence Awards
Ten students were recognized with a Hospitality Excellence award during the Salute to Excellence Awards dinner on Sunday, March 4, 2018. These awards are designed to give recognition to the top student in each Florida ProStarthigh school. ProStart teachers nominated the following students to receive this prestigious honor.
| Colonial High School | Ruby Arjona |
| Forest Hill High School | Jamie Cooney |
| Gainesville High School | Taylor Cobbler |
| Miami Beach Senior | Amy Lopez |
| Miami Sunset Senior | Yoan Hernandez |
| Oak Ridge High School | Joshua Bradford |
| Orange Tech–Mid FL | Joao Raposa |
| Orange Tech–Winter Park | Alli Moyer |
| Osceola High School | Melanny Concepcion |
| South Broward High School | Manuel Boza |
Virtual Business–Hotel
The American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute teamed up with Knowledge Matters to offer a virtual hotel you can use in your classroom.
Students who complete the Hotel Online simulator receive an exemption from the 100-hour internship component of the industry-recognized Certification in Hospitality Tourism and Management. Students must still pass both the HTMP Year 1 and Year 2 exams in order to earn the certification.
CLICK HERE for more information about the Virtual Hotel including lesson plans and pricing.
Hospitality Industry Internships
The Hospitality Industry Internship (HII) provides the opportunity for Florida HTMP instructors to work in a lodging establishment for at least 40 hours. Once the required paperwork has been processed, the participant will receive a personal check for $600 from the FRLAEF.
To qualify for an HII, the instructor must teach the HTMP curriculum during the 2017-2018 school year. If you are already employed at a restaurant or hotel, you MAY NOT use that site for your internship. The restaurant/hotel must also be a new work experience for you, not somewhere you have worked before or used as an HII internship location.
The applicant must secure a position at a foodservice or lodging facility where a minimum of 40 hours of hands-on experience is guaranteed. The host location may pay the recipient but is not required to do so.
The FRLAEF will award 11 HII’s this school year on a first-come, first-served basis. So apply NOW! Work experience may begin once the applicant receives an award notification from the FRLAEF.
CLICK HERE to apply.