I remember the experience as a little girl of being taken to a restaurant
for the first time. My recollection of this experience reminds me of
the many advantages I have received from the ProStart Program.
I think ProStart is enjoyable, helps me decide what I want to do
in a restaurant, and helps me make a decision on a career in this industry.

First, I think ProStart is enjoyable because I get to cook foods and
meet new people in group activities. I have learned a lot about
cooking foods such as cakes, pork chops, cookies and chef salads.
Because of the techniques I have gained from this class,
I had the opportunity to enter a cooking contest.
This was my first contest. I will never forget the feel
of competition and the excitement of being a part of the event.
It also allowed me the opportunity to meet and enjoy new people.

Second, ProStart helped me decide what I would like to do in a restaurant.
It taught me how to use the equipment and clean it so that it was
safe and sanitary. It also taught me how to act in a job-training program
and what to wear to a job interview. ProStart also taught me how
to work with others in a group.

Third, I have decided that I will make a career in this industry
because of the terrific training I am receiving. I want to become known
as a world-class chef working in my own restaurant. I will invite people
from all over the world to dine there. Because of the training I received
in the ProStart program, I have a firm belief that I will be self-sufficient
and on my own someday!

When I found out about ProStart, I was very happy; and it has
proven to be enjoyable, educational and inspirational. ProStart gives me
the chance to have a successful career, to live independently,
and to become a useful part of society.

Submitted by Mary Anne Vaughn
November 23, 2001
Greenville Technical Center
Ms. Linda Durand, Instructor
 

The world can seem like such a scary place sometimes,
especially if you are a student with learning disabilities.
However, the ProStart Program has changed my life, because of the
experience of being treated no differently than others. The class
has taught me many enjoyable activities, many sessions of structured
training and has given me the courage to set new goals for my life.

I enjoy this program because it is not all about cooking. It is also about
customer relations, accounting, cost controls, marketing and establishing
interpersonal relationships. For example, customer service relations involve
learning how to greet customers and communicating with other people.
Accounting, cost controls and marketing focus on the importance of budgeting
money, paying bills and selling your product.

The training I am receiving in ProStart puts lots of emphasis on restaurants and
the food service industry. The training includes following safety rules when using equipment and following directions the first time they are given. I was very surprised to learn some of the safety rules, such as not wearing fake nails or fingernail polish
while cooking or serving! I also learned that it is important to clean and sanitize
the work area in a restaurant. Following directions and good sanitation are both
equally important in the restaurant business; because if mistakes are made in the
work area, serious injuries or accidents may occur.

My career goal is to work in the food service industry as a chef. To do this, I plan
to finish high school, go to a good college and get a good job. A job as a chef
would give me the opportunity to work in restaurants, hotels, or on cruise boats.
Jobs in this area could provide many exciting ventures and the possibility of
becoming an experienced chef.

In conclusion, when I was a young girl, I always wanted to be a nurse or a chef.
My first dream was to become a nurse; but because of ProStart, my dream now
is to become a chef. My mother always told me, “You can’t say you do not
like something until you try it.” That proved to be a true statement, because
ProStart has given me a new vision for my life and the world no longer
seems as scary as it once did.

Submitted by Tammy Thomas
November 23, 2001
Greenville Technical Center
Linda Durand, Instructor
 

I can remember my first day coming into the ProStart classroom and smelling
the aroma of cookies baking. I remember Ms. Durand telling me to put on
my apron and hat. I started to work and actually got the feel of what it’s like
to work in a restaurant kitchen. From the first day I arrived, it has been a
great adventure.

I like ProStart because I believe the program gives me the opportunity to learn
about what the qualities of a good chef or restaurant manager are.
ProStart is a program that enhances the world of cooking, managing
and owning a restaurant.

When I was younger, I used to sit up and play with my little cousins and neighbors;
and we used to portray big business clients that owned restaurant chains
all around the world. Before I became a part of the ProStart program, I never
would have imagined that my “play” had a possibility of becoming a reality.

I love this program; and I know that signing up for it was the best thing
I could have done for my future. In years to come, I hope that this program
will stay in the school system; because it will give kids like me the opportunity
to shoot for their goals as well. I am learning great things; and the knowledge
that I have received here, I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world.

Submitted by Jermerra Mylescia Jones
November 16, 2001
Greenville Technical Center
Ms. Linda Durand, Instructor