Although they battled treacherous roadways, teacher Joy Dalton, mentor chef Tommy Grant, and PCTC Assistant Principal Mike Erwin, delivered the winners safely home, WV HEAT Cup and $90,000 worth of scholarships in hand.

PCTC students Rebecca Krofcheck, Stephen Owens, Jesse Perry, and Dustin Woodall demonstrated their superiority in meal preparation, creating a meal that included a starter, an entrée, and dessert. In accord with competition rules, they accomplished all of this in 60 minutes, cooking on two butane burners.

In April, the team will hit the road again when they vie for the national title in San Diego, California. They will compete against 36 other qualifying teams from across the country. National winners of first through fifth places will be awarded scholarships to pursue their college educations.

The ProStart program is a two-year curriculum designed to teach high schoolers the management skills needed for food service careers. It includes about 60,000 students nationally, with more than 1,000 West Virginia students enrolled each year.

Students must pass two national exams, complete a checklist of competencies, and participate in at least 400 hours of a mentored work experience. When these requirements are satisfactorily completed, students are awarded the ProStart National Certificate of Achievement. This signals that they are well qualified to enter the workforce.

With the recent performance of these Putnam County students, there can be little doubt of their qualifications.