2019-2020 ProStart Opportunities
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) offers events, activities, monetary support as well as teacher and student support for your ProStart program. The FRLAEF believes participation in these activities can lead to a richer learning environment for you and your students. Events and opportunities are listed throughout the August NewsBites below.
Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show will take place Sunday, September 15 and Monday, September 16, 2019 at the Orange
County Convention Center in Orlando. ProStart instructors are welcome to attend free of charge both days of the Show. Below are the guidelines for student attendees.
TEACHER & STUDENT REGISTRATION FOR SHOW
ProStart students may attend the 2019 Florida Restaurant & Lodging Show as long as the guidelines below are followed. Failure to follow these guidelines could result in expulsion from the Show floor. There is alcohol on the show floor. Please keep this in mind when selecting your students.
•Attending students must be at least 16 years of age. Students must provide proof of age when they pick up their name badges. •There must be one chaperone for every 5 students. The chaperones must be within eye-sight of the students. Chaperones must be at least 21 years old. •No more than a total of 5 students may attend from one school. •Students and 1 chaperone must walk the show floor together. •Students must be dressed in business attire or chef attire.REGISTER (Use this registration if you would like to attend with students.)
ProStart students and chaperones may attend the show one of the two days (Sunday or Monday). There is no fee to attend. To register, complete THIS SPREADSHEET and return to laura@frla.org. The spreadsheets will be processed as they are received. Only a limited number of student spreadsheets will be processed. Once that number is reached no more spreadsheets will be processed. Spreadsheets must be received no later than August 30, 2019.
TEACHER REGISTRATION FOR SHOW (Use this registration if you would like to attend without students.)
CLICK HERE to receive your complimentary registration. Use Discount Code FRLA.
ProStart School Classification
At the beginning of each school year the FRLAEF asks schools to commit to their level of participation in the ProStart program. There are three levels of participation: PREMIER, FULL and CURRICULUM ONLY.
PREMIER LEVEL
The FRLAEF will determine which schools qualify as 2019-2020 Premier schools based on the benchmarks the school met during the 2018-2019 school year. In order to be classified as a Premier school for the 2018-2019 school year, the program must have done the required work during the 2017-2018 school year.
FULL OR CURRICULUM ONLY
Schools that have not earned the Premier level for the upcoming school year may choose between the Full and Curriculum Only classification.
PARTICIPATION COMMITMENT 
The FRLAEF will send an email to all ProStart schools containing classification details including which level of classification a school may achieve based on their 2018-2019 participation data.
Please read through the details of the classification carefully to determine if you will be able to meet the requirements before committing. In order to be classified at any level, you must have and be using both the Level One and Level Two Foundations textbooks.
If the FRLAEF does not receive your commitment form by August 30, 2019, the FRLAEF will assume your school is a Curriculum Only program. This is an ANNUAL contract.
Extreme ProStart Kitchen Makeover
The Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Educational Foundation (FRLAEF) is pleased to announce it will be providing one kitchen remodel grant to a Florida ProStart high school. In order to be eligible for the grant, you must be a Premier ProStart program and teaching the ProStart curriculum during the upcoming 2019-2020 school year.
The FRLAEF is investing $50,000 into one Premier Florida ProStart school to provide much needed funds to renovate a kitchen facility. These funds are for use in a ProStart class only. Use of this funding to enhance programs outside of the ProStart curriculum is prohibited.
APPLICATION DEADLINE: August 30, 2019
GRANT AWARD NOTIFICATION: September 20, 2019
Mini Grants
The FRLAEF is offering $80,000 in Mini Grant funding to Premiere and Full Florida ProStart schools this year. There is no
fixed amount for individual grant awards, but to assist your planning, the average award last year was $736.
There are two prerequisites for grant funding: 1) you must currently teach the ProStart curriculum, and 2) you must be a Premier or Full ProStart school.
The FRLAEF Board of Directors prefers to fund items that will make your classroom self-sustaining. If a piece of equipment is requested, it should be something that will be used frequently throughout the year.
The application deadline is Friday, August 30, 2019
CLICK HERE for the online Mini Grant application.
GRANT AWARD NOTIFICATION: September 20, 2019. If awarded, funds must be spent no later than November 15, 2019.
FRLAEF Regional Workshops–Registration Now Open!
The FRLAEF is offering eight Regional Workshops this fall. ProStart teachers may bring up to five students to each event. 
There is no fee to attend a Regional Workshop. Lunch will be provided for all attendees at each event. Chef coats will be given to all participating ProStart students at each event. Travel to and from events is at your own expense.
If Regional Workshops reach maximum capacity prior to the deadline, all subsequent schools will be placed on the waiting list. Most events begin at 8:30 am and conclude no later than 2:00 pm.
Please do not register for more than one event. We only have space for first-time attendees at each event, so register for the event you are most interested in attending. If you are interested in another event, let us know and we will send you the link for the Waiting List.
CLICK HERE for the Regional Workshop page with details and registrations links for each event.
FRLAEF Student of the Year–2019 Application Open Now
The Hospitality Stars of the Industry Gala is an FRLA event that recognizes Florida’s Chef of the Year, Hotel General Manager
of the Year, Hotel Employee of the Year, Restaurant General Manager of the Year, Restaurant Employee of the Year and Educational Foundation Student of the Year.
A panel of judges will select the top nominee in each category. The panel consists of restaurateurs, hoteliers and allied members. Following the judging process, the FRLA will notify the top Educational Foundation Student of the Year. The winner will be recognized during the Gala, and will presented with at least a $2,000 scholarship. The Gala takes place the evening of Sunday, September 15, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando.
Florida ProStart and HTMP teachers may nominate a past or present student for this award.
CLICK HERE for the application
APPLICATION DEADLINE: August 30, 2019
Coast Guard Offers Signing Bonus to ProStart Students
The United States Coast Guard is now hiring culinary graduates and students who have real skills. They are offering a signing bonus of up to $40k for an AA in Culinary or Pastry Arts. The signing bonus for students with the National ProStart certification is $30k! If any of your students are interested, please have them contact CSC Andrew Rupp.
CSC Andrew Rupp is also available to visit your class to speak directly with the students. 
Please contact him directly to schedule a visit. If you don’t live in the Tampa area, he can arrange for a local CSC to visit your class. Click the flyers to enlarge.
CSC Andrew Rupp
Recruiting Office Tampa Bay
11022 4th ST N.
St. Petersburg, FL 33716
(o) 727-579-3849 ext 138
(c) 727-543-0601
(f) 727-579-8079
Hospitality Industry Internships
The Hospitality Industry Internship (HII) provides the opportunity for Florida ProStart & HTMP instructors to work in a 
foodservice/lodging establishment for at least 40 hours. Once the required paperwork has been processed, the participant will receive a personal check for $600.
To qualify for an HII, the instructor must teach the ProStart/HTMP curriculum during the 2019-2020 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.
ProStart Culinary Team Competitions
The 20th Annual ProStart Culinary Team Competitions will take place Saturday, March 7–Sunday, March 8, 2020 at the Rosen 
Plaza Hotel in Orlando.
On Saturday, March 7, half of the Culinary Teams and Management Teams will compete along with all Edible Centerpiece teams. On Sunday, March 8, the remaining Culinary and Management teams will compete along with all of the Waiter’s Relay Teams. The competition will be followed by an awards dinner at the Rosen Plaza Hotel.
STIPEND FOR COMPETING SCHOOLS The FRLAEF will provide stipends to offset the cost of participating in the event. Participating schools will receive $250 per event in which they compete.
RULES The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) has not released the rules to the Culinary and Management Competitions. Since Florida’s Culinary and Management Competitions mirror the national rules, we cannot release Florida’s competition rules until NRAEF releases the national rules. The Waiters Relay and the Edible Centerpiece competitions are unique events to Florida.
HOTEL The Rosen Plaza Hotel will be the host site for the 2020 ProStart Culinary Team Competitions. The room rate at the Rosen Plaza is $129 per night.
To reserve hotel rooms, use THIS LINK or contact the Rosen Plaza at 800-627-8258 and reference the FRLAEF ProStart Competition Salute to Excellence. The deadline to make hotel reservations is Tuesday, February 4, 2020. But don’t wait this long to book your rooms! These rooms sell out quickly.
PARTICIPATION CLICK HERE for the competition application. The application deadline is Friday, October 11, 2019. Applicants will be notified their status by Friday, October 18, 2019.
NRAEF Data Collection (Fall Survey)
The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) will continue its ProStart Data Collection this year. The survey is managed by Westat. Be on the lookout for an email from Westat this fall. The email will contain a password unique to your program. The FRLAEF does not have access to this password so you must have the email.
Once you complete the survey, the FRLAEF will send you an email to request $350 worth of free foodsafety materials. This is on a first-come, first served basis, so complete your NRAEF survey as soon as possible.
Salute to Excellence Awards Dinner
The Salute to Excellence Awards will take place on Sunday, March 8, 2020 at the Rosen Plaza Hotel in Orlando. The awards dinner will recognize all ProStart Competition, Pineapple Award, Scholarship recipients and Hospitality Excellence Awardees. Registration will begin in January 2020.
ProStart instructors will have the opportunity to recognize one student during the awards dinner with a Hospitality Excellence Award. These students will be called on stage during the awards dinner and recognized with a certificate.
All ProStart instructors may receive a complimentary ticket to the awards dinner. Hospitality Excellence Award students receive two complimentary tickets, one for them and one for a guest.
Complimentary Foodsafety Materials
Each Premier and Full ProStart program is eligible for free ServSafe or SafeStaff materials. To ensure you get the materials you need, you must notify us of your needs. Once we receive your ProStart Classification paperwork, you can order up to $350 of ServSafe/SafeStaff materials. Click here for the price list. Email Amy Parker to place your order–you do not need to fill out the form. Requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Complimentary ProStart Scantrons
The FRLAEF will distribute over $25,000 worth of free ProStart Exam Scantrons to Premier and Full ProStart schools during the 2019-2020 school year. Once a school has turned in their ProStart Classification paperwork, email Amy Parker to let her know how many ProStart Exam Scantrons you need. Requests are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Scholarships
The FRLAEF will award $44,000 in scholarships during the 2019-2020 school year. These scholarships will be awarded during the Salute to Excellence Awards in the Spring. The scholarship application will be available in late Fall.
The 24th Annual ProStart Teacher Training Institute will take place in June 21-26, 2020. The week-long training provides
Florida ProStart instructors with the knowledge necessary to teach the ProStart curriculum. Each day’s learning is built around topics covered in the ProStart curriculum.
LOCATION
All classes will be held at Johnson & Wales University (JWU) North Miami campus, 1701 NE 127th Street, North Miami, Florida, 33181.
PROGRAM COST
The FRLAEF will cover the cost of all Florida ProStart instructors who will be teaching the ProStart curriculum during the 2020-2021 school year. Attendees will be responsible for their travel and some meals.
REGISTRATION
Online registration will begin Spring 2020.