Teacher Institute - Friday, September 25
We are excited to partner with Zink Foodservice Columbus for our Teacher Institute on September 25.
Looking to stay overnight? Here is a list of nearby hotels. Registration is still open! Sign up HERE.
Topic agenda HERE. Final Agenda and additonal details coming next week.
Data Collection- Due TODAY!
Data collection for the 2026 – 2027 school year has officially launched! Emails including the annual survey came from the following email address - prostartdatabase@nraef.org. It's a 26-question survey asking about your program. It takes about 10 minutes to complete. These answers are used by the National Restaurant Association to evaluate and support ProStart nationwide. Completing this survey is required to remain an active ProStart program and stay on our contact lists. If you run into any issues with it, reach out to sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org.
Thank you to the following schools who have completed the survey:
- A-Tech Ashtabula County Technical & Career Campus
- Bedford High School
- Columbus Downtown High School
- Elkton Board of Prisons
- Euclid High School
- Gilbert A Dater High School
- Jackson High School
- Jefferson County JVS
- Lima Senior High School; Lima City Board of Education
- Lorain High School
- McKinley Senior High School
- Normandy High School
- Ohio Valley School District
- Penta Career Center
- Polaris Career Center
- R.G. Drage Career Technical Center
- Sentinel Career & Tech
- Tolles Career & Technical Center
- Tri-County Career Center
- Upper Valley Career Center
New This Year: Optional Survey
An additional, optional short survey will appear once the standard survey is completed. The optional survey is focused on gaining information about the educator and offers you an opportunity to provide us with feedback through multiple open-ended questions.
Competition Season is Coming!
We’ve added some new elements to the competitions! See the rules to each competition below:
Registration is now open for October 27th! Register Here!
September is National Food Safety Month!
Week 2: Proper Cleaning and Sanitizing
In every professional kitchen, mise en place means having everything in its place before the work begins. The same principle applies to food safety and the foundational practices that create a safe, organized environment for food preparation. When equipment, surfaces, and workstations are properly cleaned and sanitized, teams are better prepared to prevent contamination, reduce food safety risks, and deliver safe food with confidence. Download this week's bundle for practical tools and reminders that help make cleaning and sanitizing part of your operation's daily mise en place, setting the stage for food safety success every shift, every day. Download the meterials HERE.
What Servsafe courses do you teach? Please complete this short survey!
Join us live, or view on demand our upcoming webinar, Prerequisites for Creating an Authentic Food Safety Culture, September 15th at 2:00 ET.
Learn the essential prerequisites for building an authentic food safety culture that supports compliance, strengthens operational performance, and helps prevent foodborne illness. Register HERE.
To celebrate National Food Safety Month, enjoy 20% off select ServSafe Manager and Food Handler products during September with code NFSM2026. Don't miss this limited-time opportunity to invest in the training and resources that help strengthen food safety knowledge and support your team's continued success.
Rachael Ray Foundation ProStart Grow Grant application is Open!
Funding from Rachael Ray Foundation ProStart Grow Grant provides schools the opportunity to upgrade or purchase new resources, build up their classrooms in preparation for return to school, and support teachers with whatever they need to help their students learn career-building skills. Apply here. Application closes September 24 at 11:59pm
Normandy High School and Ohio Valley Career Center both received $5,000 in the fall of 2025!
Ohio Hospitality CTSO Open for Registration!
Beef in the Classroom Grant
Program Guidelines
Eligibility: Open to all Ohio teachers who plan to use cuts of beef as part of a classroom lesson.
Funding: Each teacher may receive up to $300 per school year.
Use of Funds: Grant money may be used for beef products and any necessary supplies to complete the lessons. Educators may use a lesson from the Ohio Beef Council website or create their own. Funds may not be used for the purchase of live animals or to provide meals for students (such as banquets, class parties, or awards dinners).
Application: Teachers must complete the online application and submit a lesson plan and budget for approval prior to purchase.
Documentation: After the lesson, recipients will submit documentation, including a brief description of how beef was used in the classroom and copies of receipts. Specific instructions will be sent to recipients who are awarded grant funding.
Timeline: Grant funds must be used by the end of the 2026–2027 school year. (Exceptions may be allowed, but reimbursement will only be made during this school year.)
Limit: One grant per teacher, per school year.
Questions: Please contact Anna Gest, Manager of Nutrition Education Programs.
Ohio Beef - Back to School Teacher Resources Available
From classroom lessons and educational materials to hands-on resources, Ohio Beef has tools to help students explore beef, agriculture, nutrition and careers in the industry. Explore resources and find materials for your classroom at ohiobeef.org/education.
Educator Portal
2026-2027 Calendar
2026
September 25 Teacher Institute
October 20 Ohio Hospitality CTSO Leadership Lab
October 27 Burger Battle, Creative Cakes, Mocktail Madness
2027
March 9 Ohio ProStart Invitational
Virtual events coming soon!
Pre-apprenticeship Program
Email info@oraef.org with any questions.
This is a great opportunity for your students! We currently have 3 schools enrolled: Tri-County, Ohio Valley, and Stow Munroe. Please register your students so we can submit to the state of Ohio!
Click HERE to view the Pre-Apprenticeship Guidelines & Click HERE for the Pre-Apprenticeship Application. Are you interested in bringing pre apprenticeship to your school next year? Email Abby Del Riesgo adelriesgo@ohiorestaurant.org
