2010 ProStart Educator of the Year – Judy Uerling

The Hospitality Industry Education Foundation (HIEF) of the New Mexico Restaurant Association announced today that Judy Uerling of Clovis High in Clovis is the New Mexico 2010 ProStart Educator Excellence Award recipient. Uerling will join 30 other top educators in Chicago, Ill. for the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation’s (NRAEF) ProStart Educator Excellence Awards from May 21- 22, 2010.

“ProStart plays a vital role in our industry by helping to develop the next generation of leaders that will lead us into the future. At the forefront of this movement are the ProStart educators who work with the students daily to instill in them the management and culinary skills necessary for success,” said Victoria Martinez, executive director, HIEF. “Judy is a shining example to all other ProStart educators in New Mexico, and we are proud to honor her as the New Mexico ProStart Educator of the Year.”

Judy Uerling has been active in foodservice since 1987.   She is a former restaurant owner, consultant, school food service manager, and has taught Family and Consumer Science for nine years.  She is in her fifth year as the Culinary Arts and ProStart instructor at Clovis High School in Clovis, NM.  Judy is a Certified Executive Chef through the American Culinary Federation as well as a Certified Secondary Foodservice Educator. She has also been selected as a recipient of the $5,000 scholarship for the 2010 James H. Maynard Excellence in Education Award, sponsored by Golden Corral Corporation. The James H. Maynard Award was established in commemoration of Golden Corral’s 30 Year Anniversary and James H. Maynard, Golden Corral’s Co-founder and Chairman. For this distinction, Judy will be recognized at the Salute to Excellence celebration on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at the Hilton Chicago. This event is dedicated to honoring industry achievements and recognizing top legends and outstanding foodservice and restaurant educators and students.

The NRAEF’s ProStart Educator Excellence Awards recognize exceptional educators who utilize the ProStart program in their classrooms. Each participating state nominates its leading educator who has demonstrated a strong commitment to his or her students and to the ProStart program. The awardees will be flown into Chicago and hosted by the NRAEF from May 21-22, 2010. The weekend activities kick off with an opening reception on Friday evening at Buca di Beppo. On Saturday, the educators will be honored at the Educator Excellence Awards Breakfast at 8:30 a.m. at Ditka’s (100 E. Chestnut St.), and then gather to share best practices for running a successful ProStart program. Finally, educators may take advantage of a complimentary ticket to the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show.

Nationwide, 83,000 students in 47 states, territories and districts are served by ProStart, a two-year curriculum developed by the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation and supported by state restaurant associations across the United States. The career-building program blends classroom learning with mentored work experience to teach high school students the management and culinary skills needed for a career in the restaurant and foodservice industry.  When students meet academic standards, complete a checklist of competencies, and work at least 400 hours in the industry, they are awarded the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement that signifies they are well qualified to enter the industry workforce.  For more information on the ProStart program, please visit www.prostart.restaurant.org.

The Hospitality Industry Education Foundation (HIEF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fulfilling the educational mission of the New Mexico Restaurant Association. In addition to administering the ProStart Program, HIEF awards scholarships to students pursuing a degree in the hospitality industry. To learn more about HIEF programs call 1-800-432-0740.

The New Mexico Restaurant Association’s mission is to empower the food and beverage industry by promoting and protecting common values and interests. It has more than 1,000 members in 111 cities all over New Mexico, who join together for meetings, seminars and the hospitality industry awards to honor the industry’s top achievers. It has actively represented and promoted the food service industry in New Mexico since 1946.