http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/rss/feedsFri, 11 Sep 2026 20:46:54 -0700http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/teacher-institute-september-25http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/teacher-institute-september-25Teacher 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: Burger Battle Mocktail Madness Creative Cakes Creative Cakes- Bakers Edition 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! Sign ups for the Ohio Hospitality CTSO are available! The pricing is remaining at $5 per student for the 2026-2027 school year. Invoices for this will be sent in the Fall. Please take the time to review the Guidebook HERE for refreshers on the program, and begin plans for your students to hold officer elections for Leader, Vice Leader, and Social Ambassador in the fall. Register HERE. Leaders are due by September 30! Beef in the Classroom Grant The Beef in the Classroom Grant provides Ohio educators with up to $300 per school year to support lessons that incorporate cuts of beef. This program helps teachers bring real-world learning into their classrooms while reinforcing topics such as nutrition, food safety, culinary skills, agriculture, and science. 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 There is a new educator portal password. Please reach out to info@oraef.org for access. Let us know if there are resources you would like to see. 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 Students can earn their COA (Certificate of Achievement) and Pre- Apprenticeship designation. Both are work-based learning opportunities. A COA earns 9 points toward graduation, and Pre-Apprenticeship earns 12. The process is simple, with just a few forms to complete each month. 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 Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Tiktok Thu, 10 Sep 2026 06:43:00 -0700http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/so-much-is-happening-1http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/so-much-is-happening-1 September is National Food Safety Month! Every great recipe starts with a strong foundation. Download our first Food Safety Recipe, "Our Food Safety Culture: How We Do Things Around Here, Every Shift, Every Person," HERE and learn how to make food safety part of every decision, every shift, every day. 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. September Office Hours Today! Thursday, September 3 – 2:30-3:30. Agenda and Teams invite have been sent out Email sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org with any topics you would like to discuss at our upcoming office hours. Data Collection 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. It is due by September 10! Thank you to the following schools who have completed the survey: A-Tech Ashtabula County Technical & Career Campus Columbus Downtown High School Elkton Board of Prisons Euclid 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 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. 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! Teacher Institute - Friday, September 25 Mark your calendars – Teacher Institute is being held September 25 at Zink Foodservice in Columbus. Registration is open! Sign up HERE. Topic agenda HERE. Ohio Hospitality CTSO Open for Registration! Sign ups for the Ohio Hospitality CTSO are available! The pricing is remaining at $5 per student for the 2026-2027 school year. Invoices for this will be sent in the Fall. Please take the time to review the Guidebook HERE for refreshers on the program, and begin plans for your students to hold officer elections for Leader, Vice Leader, and Social Ambassador in the fall. Register HERE. Leaders are due by September 30! Beef in the Classroom Grant The Beef in the Classroom Grant provides Ohio educators with up to $300 per school year to support lessons that incorporate cuts of beef. This program helps teachers bring real-world learning into their classrooms while reinforcing topics such as nutrition, food safety, culinary skills, agriculture, and science. 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 There is a new educator portal password. Please reach out to info@oraef.org for access. Let us know if there are resources you would like to see. 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 Students can earn their COA (Certificate of Achievement) and Pre- Apprenticeship designation. Both are work-based learning opportunities. A COA earns 9 points toward graduation, and Pre-Apprenticeship earns 12. The process is simple, with just a few forms to complete each month. 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 Show your students the limitless opportunities available in the Hospitality Industry! RestaurantsWork does just that! Students can search by position and see the growth available. They can also search by zip code to see how many opportunities are available where they live. Check it out here! Facebook Instagram LinkedIn TiktokThu, 03 Sep 2026 02:00:00 -0700http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/first-week-backhttp://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/first-week-back What ServSafe Courses Do You Teach? Please complete this short survey! Data Collection Data collection for the 2026 – 2027 school year has officially launched! This week, you'll receive an email from prostartdatabase@nraef.org with a link to the annual ProStart survey. 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. It is due by September 10! 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. Rachael Ray Foundation ProStart Grow Grant application is now 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 Department of Education & Workforce (ODEW) Update Industry-Recognized Credentials for Class of 2030 & Beyond ODEW has recently updated the Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRC) process for the Class of 2030 and beyond. Our team is working directly with ODEW as we re-certify ProStart as an IRC pathway to graduation. The new changes do not impact the Class of 2027, 2028 and 2029. Read more here. Teacher Institute - Friday, September 25 Mark your calendars – Teacher Institute is being held September 25 at Zink Foodservice in Columbus. Registration is open! Sign up HERE. Final agenda to come next week. A big thank you to the following educators who have already signed up: Tracey Funk Katie Mosher Sarah Elston Andrea Sheerin Nick Shuler Christopher Olsewski Tamera Burnett-Penny Christie Gibbons Iann Johnson Susan Zeyer Terra Dahlhausen Lauren Bondrowski Glen Zalenski Stephanie Kunkel Kathy Diederich Daniel Esquivel Emily Lewis Shanequa Crowe Nick Linthicum Frank Lawrie Minear Kate Cole Janea Makowski September Office Hours Thursday, September 3 – 2:30-3:30. Email sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org with any topics you would like to discuss. Agenda and Teams invite coming next week. Beef in the Classroom Grant The Beef in the Classroom Grant provides Ohio educators with up to $300 per school year to support lessons that incorporate cuts of beef. This program helps teachers bring real-world learning into their classrooms while reinforcing topics such as nutrition, food safety, culinary skills, agriculture, and science. 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. Ohio Hospitality CTSO Open for Registration! Sign ups for the Ohio Hospitality CTSO are available! The pricing is remaining at $5 per student for the 2026-2027 school year. Invoices for this will be sent in the Fall. Please take the time to review the Guidebook HERE for refreshers on the program, and begin plans for your students to hold officer ellections for Leader, Vice Leader, and Social Ambassador in the fall. Register HERE. Leaders are due by September 30! Educator Portal There is a new educator portal password. Please reach out to info@oraef.org for access. Let us know if there are resources you would like to see. 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 Students can earn their COA (Certificate of Achievement) and Pre- Apprenticeship designation. Both are work-based learning opportunities. A COA earns 9 points toward graduation, and Pre-Apprenticeship earns 12. The process is simple, with just a few forms to complete each month. 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 Show your students the limitless opportunities available in the Hospitality Industry! RestaurantsWork does just that! Students can search by position and see the growth available. They can also search by zip code to see how many opportunities are available where they live. Check it out here! Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Tiktok Thu, 27 Aug 2026 02:00:00 -0700http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/welcome-back-2http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/welcome-back-2 Jenn Bushby named Director of the Hospitality Institute of Ohio, Sonya Delaney promoted to Senior Manager of Workforce Programs & Operations Jenn Bushby has been named Director of the Hospitality Institute of Ohio, the Ohio Restaurant & Hospitality Alliance (ORHA) workforce development foundation. Jenn began her ORHA career in the Membership Department before serving most recently as Senior Manager of Communications. As Director of Hospitality Ohio, Jenn will lead programs and initiatives that strengthen Ohio’s hospitality workforce by expanding career awareness, workforce education, industry training and employer engagement. Her leadership will help position Hospitality Ohio as the state’s premier workforce development resource for the hospitality industry. As part of this organizational transition, Sonya Delaney has been promoted to Senior Manager of Workforce Programs and Operations and Abby Del Riesgo is assuming the role of Events & Engagement Coordinator. Sonya has assumed additional responsibilities since Patty’s retirement and has done an outstanding job ensuring the continuity of our workforce initiatives, including ProStart, CTOS, HOPES, Restaurant Ready and other key programs. This promotion recognizes both her contributions and the important leadership role she will continue to play as Hospitality Ohio grows. Abby has continued to expand her impact through her work supporting events, engagement and organizational initiatives. Data Collection It’s time to complete the data collection for ProStart. Completing the survey ensures your students are eligible to earn the COA, provides you (the educator) the opportunity to apply for grants such as the Rachael Ray grant, Educator Scholarships/Grants, incentives and more. When you receive the link, please make this a priority. It takes about 10 minutes to complete. You will be receiving the survey next week. Ohio Department of Education & Workforce (ODEW) Update Industry-Recognized Credentials for Class of 2030 & Beyond ODEW has recently updated the Industry-Recognized Credentials (IRC) process for the Class of 2030 and beyond. Our team is working directly with ODEW as we re-certify ProStart as an IRC pathway to graduation. The new changes do not impact the Class of 2027, 2028 and 2029. Read more here. Rachael Ray Foundation ProStart Grow Grant application is now 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. Normandy High School and Ohio Valley Career Center both received $5000 in the fall of 2025! Teacher Institute - Friday, September 25 Mark your calendars – Teacher Institute is being held September 25 at Zink Foodservice in Columbus. Registration is open! Sign up HERE. A big thank you to the following educators who have already signed up: Tracey Funk Katie Mosher Sarah Elston Andrea Sheerin Nick Shuler Christopher Olsewski Tamera Burnett-Penny Christie Gibbons Iann Johnson Susan Zeyer Terra Dahlhausen Lauren Bondrowski Glen Zalenski Stephanie Kunkel Kathy Diederich Daniel Esquivel Emily Lewis Shanequa Crowe Nick Linthicum Frank Lawrie Minear Please take the survey HERE to let us know what topics you want to go over at Teacher Institute. Ohio Hospitality CTSO Open for Registration! Sign ups for the Ohio Hospitality CTSO are available! The pricing is remaining at $5 per student for the 2026-2027 school year. Invoices for this will be sent in the Fall. Please take the time to review the Guidebook HERE for refreshers on the program, and begin plans for your students to hold officer ellections for Leader, Vice Leader, and Social Ambassador in the fall. Register HERE. Educator Portal There is a new educator portal password. Please reach out to info@oraef.org for access. Let us know if there are resources you would like to see. 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 Students can earn their COA (Certificate of Achievement) and Pre- Apprenticeship designation. Both are work-based learning opportunities. A COA earns 9 points toward graduation, and Pre-Apprenticeship earns 12. The process is simple, with just a few forms to complete each month. 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 Show your students the limitless opportunities available in the Hospitality Industry! RestaurantsWork does just that! Students can search by position and see the growth available. They can also search by zip code to see how many opportunities are available where they live. Check it out here! The 2026 ProStart Passport is Here! The 2026 ProStart Passport is now available for ProStart students nationwide. The Passport includes information about post-secondary schools that offer college credit and/or scholarships to ProStart students who have earned the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (COA). The updated Passport can be found here. We are excited to announce three new partnerships: August Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Johnson & Wales University Unity Environmental University Why it Matters The ProStart Passport offers students a clear outline of where they can take the skills they gained in ProStart and apply them to the next step in solidifying their career pathway. Facebook Instagram LinkedIn TiktokThu, 20 Aug 2026 04:08:00 -0700http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/last-newsletter-of-the-school-yearhttp://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/last-newsletter-of-the-school-yearOhio ProStart and Ohio Hospitality CTSO 2026-2027 Calendars Dates 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! Final Reminders Monthly updates will be coming throughout the summer. If you would like us to use a different email for summer communications, email Sonya - sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org Intent to compete forms are HERE. Any questions? Send them to Sonya (sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org). Rachael Ray Foundation ProStart Grow Grant application is coming in August! 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. We will keep you posted when the application officially opens! Normandy High School and Ohio Valley Career Center both received $5000 in the fall of 2025! Show your students the limitless opportunities available in the Hospitality Industry! RestaurantsWork does just that! Students can search by position and see the growth available. They can also search by zip code to see how many opportunities are available where they live. Check it out here! Teacher Institute - Friday, September 25 Mark your calendars – Teacher Institute is being held September 25 at Zink Foodservice in Columbus. Registration is open! Sign up HERE. Please take the survey HERE to let us know what topics you want to go over at Teacher Institute in the fall. It’s COA Time! We will accept COA paperwork through June 30. TWO WEEKS before you test, please have your students log into their accounts to confirm they have access. If they have completed a level one exam, be sure they can see their results If your student has never tested, have them create an account. Use the directions found in the Educator Portal HERE If your student cannot access their account, send an email ASAP to info@oraef.orgIf you are a multiple educator school, send us the names and email addresses of all the students that will be testing so that we can merge their accounts If you still have questions reach out to info@oraef.org ASAP. COA'S MUST BE RECIEVED BEFORE JUNE 30TH TO BE PROCESSED FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR. See the following letter from our CEO John Barker, supporting ProStart students being recognized for the COA achievement here. COA resources are in the Educator Portal HERE NEW: The 2026 ProStart Passport is Here! The 2026 ProStart Passport is now available for ProStart students nationwide. The Passport includes information about post-secondary schools that offer college credit and/or scholarships to ProStart students who have earned the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (COA). The updated Passport can be found here. We are excited to announce three new partnerships: August Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Johnson & Wales University Unity Environmental University Why it Matters The ProStart Passport offers students a clear outline of where they can take the skills they gained in ProStart and apply them to the next step in solidifying their career pathway. Want to Get Ahead for Next School Year? Sign ups for the Ohio Hospitality CTSO are now available! The pricing is remaining at $5 per student for the 2026-2027 school year. Invoices for this will be sent in the Fall. Please take the time to review the Guidebook HERE for refreshers on the program, and begin plans for your students to hold officer ellections for Leader, Vice Leader, and Social Ambassador in the fall. Register HERE. Pre-Apprenticeship Program Students can earn their COA (Certificate of Achievement) and Pre- Apprenticeship designation. Both are work-based learning opportunities. A COA earns 9 points toward graduation, and Pre-Apprenticeship earns 12. The process is simple, with just a few forms to complete each month. 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 Educator Portal The new educator Portal password is 2025*ProStart. Let us know if there are additional resources you would like to see. 2025-2026 Calendar If you haven’t seen the calendar yet – click HERE Facebook Instagram LinkedIn TiktokWed, 27 May 2026 21:15:00 -0700http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/diving-into-summerhttp://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/diving-into-summer Next week is our last newsletter! Monthly updates will be coming throughout the summer. If you would like us to use a different email for summer communications, email Sonya - sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org Rachael Ray Foundation ProStart Grow Grant application is coming in August! 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. We will keep you posted when the application officially opens! Normandy High School and Ohio Valley Career Center both received $5000 in the fall of 2025! Honor Cords If you need honor cords for your 2026 graduates, please reach out to Abby at adelriesgo@ohiorestaurant.org. They will be mailed to you. Please include your school’s graduation date in the email to ensure they arrive on time. See the following letter from our CEO John Barker, supporting ProStart students being recognized for the COA achievement here. Show your students the limitless opportunites avaiable in the Hospitliaty Industry! RestaurantsWork does just that! Students can search by position and see the growth available. They can also search by zip code to see how many opportunities are available where they live. Check it out here! Teacher Institute - Friday, September 25 Mark your calendars – Teacher Institute is being held September 25 at Zink Foodservice in Columbus. Registration is open! Sign up HERE. Please take the survey HERE to let us know what topics you want to go over at Teacher Institute in the fall. Attention Educators Intent to compete forms are HERE. Any questions? Send them to Sonya (sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org). It’s COA Time! We will accept COA paperwork through June 30. TWO WEEKS before you test, please have your students log into their accounts to confirm they have access. If they have completed a level one exam, be sure they can see their results If your student has never tested, have them create an account. Use the directions found in the Educator Portal HERE If your student cannot access their account, send an email ASAP to info@oraef.orgIf you are a multiple educator school, send us the names and email addresses of all the students that will be testing so that we can merge their accounts If you still have questions reach out to info@oraef.org ASAP. COA'S MUST BE RECIEVED BEFORE JUNE 30TH TO BE PROCESSED FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR. COA resources are in the Educator Portal HERE NEW: The 2026 ProStart Passport is Here! The 2026 ProStart Passport is now available for ProStart students nationwide. The Passport includes information about post-secondary schools that offer college credit and/or scholarships to ProStart students who have earned the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (COA). The updated Passport can be found here. We are excited to announce three new partnerships: August Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Johnson & Wales University Unity Environmental University Why it Matters The ProStart Passport offers students a clear outline of where they can take the skills they gained in ProStart and apply them to the next step in solidifying their career pathway. Want to Get Ahead for Next School Year? Sign ups for the Ohio Hospitality CTSO are now available! The pricing is remaining at $5 per student for the 2026-2027 school year. Invoices for this will be sent in the Fall. Please take the time to review the Guidebook HERE for refreshers on the program, and begin plans for your students to hold officer ellections for Leader, Vice Leader, and Social Ambassador in the fall. Register HERE. Ohio ProStart and Ohio Hospitality CTSO 2026-2027 Calendars Coming soon! Pre-Apprenticeship Program Students can earn their COA (Certificate of Achievement) and Pre- Apprenticeship designation. Both are work-based learning opportunities. A COA earns 9 points toward graduation, and Pre-Apprenticeship earns 12. The process is simple, with just a few forms to complete each month. 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 Educator Portal The new educator Portal password is 2025*ProStart. Let us know if there are additional resources you would like to see. 2025-2026 Calendar If you haven’t seen the calendar yet – click HERE Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Tiktok Wed, 20 May 2026 21:15:00 -0700http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/office-hours-tomorrowhttp://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/office-hours-tomorrow Celebration of the Stars We honored the following students at the Celebration of the Stars Scholarship Luncheon: Serenity Tackett (VSCTC), Jovey Seville (VSCTC), Mareli Cruz (South-Western), and Violet Lowe (Penta). We also celebrated our Ohio ProStart Teacher of the Year, Tamera Bernett Penny, and the Ohio School for the Deaf on their win at the Deaf Culinary Bowl. Congratulations and best wishes! May Office Hours Tomorrow! May Office Hours will be held on Thursday, May 14, from 2:30-3:00. Please send Sonya (sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org) your topics. Remember – CEUs are given for attendance. Honor Cords If you need honor cords for your 2026 graduates, please reach out to Abby at adelriesgo@ohiorestaurant.org. They will be mailed to you. Please include your school’s graduation date in the email to ensure they arrive on time. Teacher Institute - Friday, September 25 Mark your calendars – Teacher Institute is being held September 25 at Zink Foodservice in Columbus. Registration is open! Sign up HERE. Please take the survey HERE to let us know what topics you want to go over at Teacher Institute in the fall. Attention Educators Intent to compete forms are HERE. Any questions? Send them to Sonya (sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org). It’s COA Time! We will accept COA paperwork through June 30. TWO WEEKS before you test, please have your students log into their accounts to confirm they have access. If they have completed a level one exam, be sure they can see their results If your student has never tested, have them create an account. Use the directions found in the Educator Portal HERE If your student cannot access their account, send an email ASAP to info@oraef.orgIf you are a multiple educator school, send us the names and email addresses of all the students that will be testing so that we can merge their accounts As of Friday, May 8th, we have received paperwork from the following schools: Apollo Columbiana County Columbus Downtown Jefferson County JVS McKinley High School Ponitz VSCTC-Sentinel If you still have questions reach out to info@oraef.org ASAP. COA'S MUST BE RECIEVED BEFORE JUNE 30TH TO BE PROCESSED FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR. COA resources are in the Educator Portal HERE NEW: The 2026 ProStart Passport is Here! The 2026 ProStart Passport is now available for ProStart students nationwide. The Passport includes information about post-secondary schools that offer college credit and/or scholarships to ProStart students who have earned the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (COA). The updated Passport can be found here. We are excited to announce three new partnerships: August Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Johnson & Wales University Unity Environmental University Why it Matters The ProStart Passport offers students a clear outline of where they can take the skills they gained in ProStart and apply them to the next step in solidifying their career pathway. Want to Get Ahead for Next School Year? Sign ups for the Ohio Hospitality CTSO are now available! The pricing is remaining at $5 per student for the 2026-2027 school year. Invoices for this will be sent in the Fall. Please take the time to review the Guidebook HERE for refreshers on the program, and begin plans for your students to hold officer ellections for Leader, Vice Leader, and Social Ambassador in the fall. Register HERE. Ohio ProStart and Ohio Hospitality CTSO 2026-2027 Calendars Coming soon! Pre-Apprenticeship Program Students can earn their COA (Certificate of Achievement) and Pre- Apprenticeship designation. Both are work-based learning opportunities. A COA earns 9 points toward graduation, and Pre-Apprenticeship earns 12. The process is simple, with just a few forms to complete each month. 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 Educator Portal The new educator Portal password is 2025*ProStart. Let us know if there are additional resources you would like to see. 2025-2026 Calendar If you haven’t seen the calendar yet – click HERE Facebook Instagram LinkedIn TiktokThu, 14 May 2026 03:24:00 -0700http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/countdown-to-summer-is-onhttp://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/countdown-to-summer-is-on May Office Hours May Office Hours will be held Thursday, May 14 from 2:30-3:00. Please send Sonya (sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org) your topics. Remember – CEUs are given for attendance. Attention Educators Intent to compete forms will be sent to all schools next week in the April recap. Be on the lookout for the email from Sonya (sdelaney@ohiorestaurant.org). Honor Cords If you need honor cords for your 2026 graduates, please reach out to Abby at adelriesgo@ohiorestaurant.org. They will be mailed to you. Please include your school’s graduation date in the email to ensure they arrive on time. Teacher Institute - Friday, September 25 Mark your calendars – Teacher Institute is being held September 25 at Zink Foodservice in Columbus. Registration is open! Sign up HERE. Please take the survey HERE to let us know what topics you want to go over at Teacher Institute in the fall. It’s COA Time! We will accept COA paperwork through June 30. TWO WEEKS before you test, please have your students log into their accounts to confirm they have access. If they have completed a level one exam, be sure they can see their results If your student has never tested, have them create an account. Use the directions found in the Educator Portal HERE If your student cannot access their account – send an email ASAP to info@oraef.orgIf you are a multiple educator school, send us the names and email addresses of all the students that will be testing so that we can merge their accounts If you still have questions reach out to info@oraef.org ASAP. COA'S MUST BE RECIEVED BEFORE JUNE 30TH TO BE PROCESSED FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR. COA resources are in the Educator Portal HERE NEW: The 2026 ProStart Passport is Here! The 2026 ProStart Passport is now available for ProStart students nationwide. The Passport includes information about post-secondary schools that offer college credit and/or scholarships to ProStart students who have earned the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (COA). The updated Passport can be found here. We are excited to announce three new partnerships: August Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Johnson & Wales University Unity Environmental University Why it Matters The ProStart Passport offers students a clear outline of where they can take the skills they gained in ProStart and apply them to the next step in solidifying their career pathway. Want to Get Ahead for Next School Year? Sign ups for the Ohio Hospitality CTSO are now available! The pricing is remaining at $5 per student for the 2026-2027 school year. Invoices for this will be sent in the Fall. Please take the time to review the Guidebook HERE for refreshers on the program, and begin plans for your students to hold officer ellections for Leader, Vice Leader, and Social Ambassador in the fall. Register HERE. Coming soon! 2026-27 ProStart Fee invoices in the mail next week! Ohio ProStart and Ohio Hospitality CTSO 2026-2027 Calendars Coming Soon! Pre-Apprenticeship Program Students can earn their COA (Certificate of Achievement) and Pre- Apprenticeship designation. Both are work-based learning opportunities. A COA earns 9 points toward graduation, and Pre-Apprenticeship earns 12. The process is simple, with just a few forms to complete each month. 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 Educator Portal The new educator Portal password is 2025*ProStart. Let us know if there are additional resources you would like to see. 2025-2026 Calendar If you haven’t seen the calendar yet – click HERE Facebook Instagram LinkedIn TiktokWed, 06 May 2026 21:15:00 -0700http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/big-win-at-npsihttp://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/big-win-at-npsi Ohio Made NPSI Podium! This past weekend our top two Ohio ProStart Invitational Schools: Polaris Career Center and Penta Career Center competed at the National ProStart Competition in Baltimore! A big Congrats to Polaris Career Center, the Ohio Culinary team for placing Third at the National Competition! Both Ohio teams should be very proud of what they accomplished at the National Level! Teacher Institute - Friday, September 25 Mark your calendars – Teacher Institute is being held September 25 at Zink Foodservice in Columbus. Registration is open! Sign up HERE. Please take the survey HERE to let us know what topics you want to go over at Teacher Institute in the fall. It’s COA Time! We will accept COA paperwork through June 30. TWO WEEKS before you test, please have your students log into their accounts to confirm they have access. If they have completed a level one exam, be sure they can see their results If your student has never tested, have them create an account. Use the directions found in the Educator Portal HERE If your student cannot access their account – send an email ASAP to info@oraef.org If you are a multiple educator school, send us the names and email addresses of all the students that will be testing so that we can merge their accounts If you still have questions reach out to info@oraef.org ASAP. COA'S MUST BE RECIEVED BEFORE JUNE 30TH TO BE PROCESSED FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR. COA resources are in the Educator Portal HERE Good Deed of the Day We are putting together something for Patty's retirement. Please submit a video message or a written message to info@oraef.org. Thank her for her years of service, her words of wisdom, or how much she will be missed. We need all submissions by TODAY April 30th. We will be sharing this at the Celebration of the Stars event on May 5th. Honor Cords If you need honor cords for your 2026 graduates, please reach out to Abby at adelriesgo@ohiorestaurant.org. They will be mailed to you. Please include your school’s graduation date in the email to ensure they arrive on time. NEW: The 2026 ProStart Passport is Here! The 2026 ProStart Passport is now available for ProStart students nationwide. The Passport includes information about post-secondary schools that offer college credit and/or scholarships to ProStart students who have earned the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (COA). The updated Passport can be found here. We are excited to announce three new partnerships: August Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Johnson & Wales University Unity Environmental University Why it Matters The ProStart Passport offers students a clear outline of where they can take the skills they gained in ProStart and apply them to the next step in solidifying their career pathway. Ohio ProStart and Ohio Hospitality CTSO 2026-2027 Calendars Coming soon! Pre-Apprenticeship Program Students can earn their COA (Certificate of Achievement) and Pre- Apprenticeship designation. Both are work-based learning opportunities. A COA earns 9 points toward graduation, and Pre-Apprenticeship earns 12. The process is simple, with just a few forms to complete each month. 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 Educator Portal The new educator Portal password is 2025*ProStart. Let us know if there are additional resources you would like to see. 2025-2026 Calendar If you haven’t seen the calendar yet – click HERE Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Tiktok Wed, 29 Apr 2026 21:15:00 -0700http://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/npsi-this-weekendhttp://www.hospitalityohio.org/blog/post/npsi-this-weekend Tune In to NPSI! See the top two Ohio Teams compete live at the National ProStart Invitational. We will be live streaming THIS WEEKEND on Facebook Saturday April 25th for Management at 10:25am-11:40am and Sunday April 26th for Culinary at 7:45 am-10:50am. Watch the Live Stream HERE. Note: If you try to contact anyone at the NRA, responses will be heavily delayed due to NPSI. Teacher Institute - Friday, September 25 Mark your calendars – Teacher Institute is being held September 25 at Zink Foodservice in Columbus. Registration is open! Sign up HERE. Please take the survey HERE to let us know what topics you want to go over at Teacher Institute in the fall. Dine to Donate! Do you want to help support the Hospitality Institute of Ohio? Head over to Brewfontaine on Tuesday April 28th, 10% of all purchases will go to our program! Visit the Restaurant at 211 S. Main St. Bellfontaine OH 43311 the fundraiser will run 11am-10pm. It’s COA Time! We will accept COA paperwork through June 30. TWO WEEKS before you test, please have your students log into their accounts to confirm they have access. If they have completed a level one exam, be sure they can see their results If your student has never tested, have them create an account. Use the directions found in the Educator Portal HERE If your student cannot access their account – send an email ASAP to info@oraef.org If you are a multiple educator school, send us the names and email addresses of all the students that will be testing so that we can merge their accounts If you still have questions reach out to info@oraef.org ASAP. COA'S MUST BE RECIEVED BEFORE JUNE 30TH TO BE PROCESSED FOR THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR. COA resources are in the Educator Portal HERE Good Deed of the Day We are putting together something for Patty's retirement. Please submit a video message or a written message to info@oraef.org. Thank her for her years of service, her words of wisdom, or how much she will be missed. We need all submissions by April 30th. We will be sharing this at the Celebration of the Stars event on May 5th. Honor Cords If you need honor cords for your 2026 graduates, please reach out to Abby at adelriesgo@ohiorestaurant.org. They will be mailed to you. Please include your school’s graduation date in the email to ensure they arrive on time. NEW: The 2026 ProStart Passport is Here! The 2026 ProStart Passport is now available for ProStart students nationwide. The Passport includes information about post-secondary schools that offer college credit and/or scholarships to ProStart students who have earned the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement (COA). The updated Passport can be found here. We are excited to announce three new partnerships: August Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Johnson & Wales University Unity Environmental University Why it Matters The ProStart Passport offers students a clear outline of where they can take the skills they gained in ProStart and apply them to the next step in solidifying their career pathway. Ohio ProStart and Ohio Hospitality CTSO 2026-2027 Calendars Coming soon! Pre-Apprenticeship Program Students can earn their COA (Certificate of Achievement) and Pre- Apprenticeship designation. Both are work-based learning opportunities. A COA earns 9 points toward graduation, and Pre-Apprenticeship earns 12. The process is simple, with just a few forms to complete each month. 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 Educator Portal The new educator Portal password is 2025*ProStart. Let us know if there are additional resources you would like to see. 2025-2026 Calendar If you haven’t seen the calendar yet – click HERE Facebook Instagram LinkedIn TiktokWed, 22 Apr 2026 21:15:00 -0700