Students Cook Smart with ProStart
ProStart is a program at Waukee High School (WHS) and Northwest High School (NWHS) that helps prepare students for the restaurant and food service industry by teaching them business management and culinary skills. This career-building program blends classroom learning with mentored work experience to give students more industry experience.
Basics of ProStart
“ProStart is a career and technical education program that unites the food service industry and the classroom to teach high school students culinary skills and restaurant management principles, as well as employability skills such as communication, teamwork, professionalism, and time management,” Laura Calvert, ProStart teacher at NWHS, says
The ProStart program is a two-year educational program supported by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation in partnership with the Iowa Restaurant Association Education Foundation. The program also pairs with Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) to offer students college credit.
A student’s perspective on proStart
There are two levels in the ProStart program, ProStart I and ProStart II. Both are offered in the Waukee Community School District (WCSD). Tavian Lam, a senior ProStart student at Waukee High School, explains that you get more control of what you cook as you move into more advanced levels.
“The biggest difference is you cook a lot more, which I loved! You get more freedom when cooking and more independence over your dishes,” Tavian says.
Tavian decided to take the program after Culinary I and II due to his love for cooking and desire to improve. Through ProStart, he grew his cooking skills and gained more insight into the food service industry.
“I have learned basic cooking skills, safety and sanitation, and many more helpful tips when it comes to cooking. My favorite part of the ProStart program is the cooking competitions we had with classmates because seeing who could make an item better was a fun way to push myself.”
Tavian will be attending the Culinary Institute of America in New York City and says that the ProStart program helped him accomplish the major achievement.
“Without the ProStart program, I would have never continued exploring my interest in the culinary field, and it helped me figure out what I want to do with my life. My instructors were really great and very patient when answering my questions. They pushed me to be better and have probably helped me more than they know,” Tavian says.
Opportunities of ProStart
There are also chances outside of school where you can work with businesses and even compete in events. Five students from ProStart II at NWHS were able to attend the Iowa ProStart Culinary Invitational and earn a second-place finish. The group of students created their own menu and worked with a chef mentor to perfect their recipes and skills.
The ProStart program is more than just a class because it helps prepare students to enter the real world as they gain actual experience in the kitchen. Tavian says everyone should take ProStart because it teaches vital skills that everyone can benefit from.
“If you are interested enough, you can turn the things you’ve learned in ProStart into a career or into a hobby. I definitely recommend taking ProStart because you get to learn a lot about a skill you will use the rest of your life, and if you enjoy it, you can find a new life path.”
