Greater Dallas Restaurant Association to hand out 21 scholarships at April 21 dinner

by PegNews wire

DALLAS — More than $80,000 in scholarships will be awarded to 21 deserving North Texas students and Greater Dallas Restaurant Association member employees, thanks to the Association's (GDRA's) Founders Club partners and the GDRA Scholarship Fund. The generous honors for highly accomplished culinary students will be presented at the Greater Dallas Restaurant Association's Scholarship Dinner, held at CityPlace Conference Center on April 21, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The culinary star students are either in their senior year and enrolled in the GDRA's FS Prep Programs (part of the culinary arts program at their high school), or currently enrolled in a college-level culinary arts program. For the first time, GDRA members and their employees were also eligible to receive scholarships. Leaders in the restaurant industry fund the scholarships and present the awards to the students and members and/or their employees.

"We are so fortunate to have great partners that have continued to support the need for providing scholarships to very deserving students in North Texas," said Jamee Green, executive director, Greater Dallas Restaurant Association. "Our partners know the future of the restaurant industry will continue to be strong when one supports the students of today."

Students winning $5,000 GDRA Founders Club Scholarships are Kelly Adkins, Wylie High School (sponsored by Admiral Linen); Anai Arzola, University of North Texas (sponsored by Sysco); Joshua Carter, Johnson & Wales University (sponsored by Schepps); Jessica Cohron, Wylie High School (sponsored by Dr Pepper); Michelle Dykes, Richardson High School (sponsored by Ben E Keith Co.); Josip Janjic, Wylie High School (sponsored by US Foodservice); Sydney Klein, Centennial High School (sponsored by Medical City Heart); Heather Mulloy, Frisco High School (sponsored by Nationwide); Karla Rosas, Johnson & Wales University (sponsored by Sysco); Tyler Shipman, Centennial High School (sponsored by Hardie's); Halima Tasiu, Richardson High School (sponsored by Nationwide); William Wilbur, Collin College (sponsored by Edward Don); and Esther Wu, Culinary Institute of America (sponsored by Direct Energy).

Students receiving $1,000 GDRA FS Prep Scholarships are Meghan Andrewartha, Plano East High School; Amelia Braden, Liberty High School; Michelle Dykes, Richardson High School; Nataly Mora, Frisco High School; Karina Pinto, Molina High School; Maria Salazar, Newman Smith High School; Kenia Santibenez, Wylie High School; Davion Waters, Ben Barber Center; and Everado Zamarron, Centennial High School.

The students and member employees are continuing their culinary arts education at such prestigious schools as Culinary Institute of America, Le Cordon Bleu, Art Institute of Dallas, Johnson & Wales, University of North Texas, El Centro and Collin College.

Presenters include representatives from the 2008-09 GDRA Founders Club Partners: Nationwide, Sysco, Ben E. Keith Co., Medical City Heart, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Direct Energy, Admiral Linen and Uniform Service, US Foodservice, Hardie's Fruit & Vegetable, Schepps Dairy, Edward Don and Company and scholarship donors such as Savor Dallas.

A $10,000 scholarship will be awarded to Nataly Mora from Frisco High School in honor of restaurant industry legend C. "Gus" Katsigris, founder of the acclaimed El Centro Food and Hospitality program.

Since 2003, the GDRA has awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships, with funds raised by association events and donations from the industry and suppliers. High school seniors enrolled in a culinary arts program, a current college student enrolled as a hospitality major, and GDRA members and their employees are eligible to apply.

Due to the success of GDRA's fundraising programs, the growth of the industry and the expansion of the program in area schools, GDRA will award $84,000 in scholarships in the year 2009.

FS Prep, designed by the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation (TRAEF), is a two-year, comprehensive culinary and foodservice instructional resource developed for high school teachers and includes daily lesson plans, PowerPoint presentations, lab and lecture guides, supplementary materials, tests and quizzes; all in modular and electronic format.

Developed in 2001 and updated in recent years, FS Prep has been adopted by over 70 high schools throughout Texas. Currently, local chapters of the Texas Restaurant Association (TRA) have begun implementing FS Prep curriculum into their neighborhood schools.

Source: GRDA