NPSI, the country’s premier restaurant management and culinary arts competition for high school students, showcased the skills of nearly 400 youths competing for approximately $200,000 in scholarships that will help them advance their educations and fulfill aspirations to become restaurant and hospitality industry professionals.

ProStart is a two-year curriculum practiced at more than 1,750 high schools and career and technical education centers nationwide. It teaches culinary techniques and restaurant management skills that prepare students for successful industry careers. There are nearly 145,000 ProStart students throughout the United States and Guam.

We are so proud of the OATC Culinary Arts students who took first place at the ProStart Kansas Invitational, which led to their participation at the National ProStart Invitational in Baltimore, Maryland. The students represented the state of Kansas and the Olathe Public Schools on the national stage due to all of their hard work and amazing performance.

The 2025 Kansas ProStart Invitational was held on March 5 at Corporate Hills Wichita Marriott. We are proud of all that the students accomplished.

Congratulations to the Culinary Team of Nathan Scroggs, Brianna Keese, Cayden Swena, Michael Perez Franco and Sara Reynolds for their first-place win in the culinary competition! They will represent the state of Kansas at the 2025 National ProStart Invitational.

Congratulations to the Management Team made up of Micah Overton and Jaedon Turner for their third-place finish! They made a great presentation for their restaurant concept, Jamboree.

Congratulations to the OATC Culinary Department and to Chef Philip Shaw and Chef Erica McIntyre for their investment in these fine OATC Students.

Chrissy Zemencik, former OATC Culinary Arts student, shares with the National Restaurant Association what the ProStart program taught her.  Read her story and her plans for the future in the restaurant industry.

ProStart is a nationwide, two-year program that unites the classroom and industry to develop the best and brightest talent into tomorrow's restaurant and food-service leaders. The ProStart curriculum is used in the Olathe Public Schools Culinary Arts program.

Learn more about the National Restaurant Association's ProStart program

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