Press Releases

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Recent News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

POLARIS STUDENTS TAKE TOP HONORS AT REGIONAL SKILLSUSA COMPETITIONS
Seventeen students finish in the top three, qualify for state contests

March 18, 2019

Middleburg Heights, OH – Twenty-five Polaris Career Center students recently competed in the SkillsUSA Regional Competition at Medina County Career Center and other Northeast Ohio locations.  SkillsUSA gives students the opportunity to showcase their skills in specific career-technical training areas.  This year, hundreds of students from around the region competed in 25 different skill events.  Students who finished in the top three in each challenge will represent Polaris and the North Central Region at the State SkillsUSA Competition in Columbus on April 16-17, 2019.  Below is a summary of the 17 Polaris winners and state qualifiers.

 For additional information, contact Doug miller at (440) 891-7609 or email dmiller@polaris.edu.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

POLARIS BAKING AND PASTRY ARTS STUDENTS TAKE REGIONAL
HONORS, QUALIFY FOR STATE EVENTS

Four Students Advance to State Competition

March 12, 2019

Middleburg Heights, OH -- Polaris Baking & Pastry Arts students recently competed in the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) regional culinary competition at the Tri-C Hospitality Management Center on Public Square in downtown Cleveland.  FCCLA sponsors competitions at the regional, state and national levels for students enrolled in family and consumer sciences programs.  The competitions give students the opportunity to showcase their career-technical talents and skills.  Four Polaris students won gold and silver medals and qualified to compete in Columbus on April 13, 2019.
 
Polaris took a gold medal in the culinary team event.  In this challenge, the team prepared a three course meal featuring:  winter white vegetable soup, Hungarian chicken and rice pilaf and anjou pear galette with chantilly cream.  The team included seniors Holly Peterka, Berea-Midpark High School, Jacquelyn Twardzik, Olmsted Falls High School and Taiylor Sloan, Fairview High School.
 
Polaris also took an individual medal.  Faith Brown, Berea-Midpark High School, captured silver in creative cakes and qualified for the state competition.  Her award winning creation was a red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting and Swiss buttercream.
 
For more information, contact Doug Miller at (440) 891-7609 or email dmiller@polaris.edu.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

POLARIS CULINARY AND MANAGEMENT TEAMS WIN STATE TITLES

Championship Teams to Represent Polaris at National Competition in May

February 26, 2019

Middleburg Heights, OH – Two Polaris Chef Training teams recently competed in the 2019 Ohio ProStart Invitational culinary and management competitions in Columbus, Ohio.  This annual event, which is presented by the Ohio Restaurant Association, allows students from programs around the state to showcase their culinary talents in a high-stakes, real world setting.
 
For the ninth time in 10 years, Polaris took top honors in the culinary team event and will represent Polaris and the state at the national competition in Washington, D.C. on May 7-10, 2019.  During the challenge, the Polaris team had to present a three course meal to a panel of certified chefs and exhibit comprehensive skills in creativity, communication, teamwork, organization, time management, skill level, safety and sanitation. They only had one hour and two butane burners to complete the task.  No ovens or electrical appliances were permitted.  The students also had to submit all recipes and financial information related to each course.  The championship team included the following students:  Jeffrey Paul, senior, Berea-Midpark High School, Jordan Visnaw, senior, Fairview High School, Sam Schreiner, senior, North Olmsted High School, Sonya Kovach, junior, Strongsville High School and Cory Conroy, junior, Berea-Midpark High School.
 
Polaris also placed first in the management event and will compete in Washington, D.C. in May.  This is the fourth time Polaris has won this event.  In this competition, the students had to present an original concept to judges that demonstrated knowledge of the operation and success (profitability) of a food service establishment.  The team came up with a name and logo design. The presentation included menu design and food costing, facility design and decor, marketing strategies, employment practices and human resources.  Finally, the team also had to answer a barrage of critical thinking questions from a panel of foodservice experts.  The team consisted of Noah Rolland, senior, Berea-Midpark High School, Marilyn Morgan, senior, Berea-Midpark High School and Courtney Blair, junior, Brooklyn High School.  In addition, Marilyn Morgan was recognized with the Top Ohio ProStart Management Award for her performance in the management competition.
 
This is the fourth time Polaris has swept the top spot in both state events in the same year. To date, the participating Polaris students have been awarded scholarships totaling $332,812 from the following culinary schools:  Johnson & Wales University, the Culinary Institute of America, Columbus Culinary Institute, Columbus State Community College, Midwest Culinary Institute, New England Culinary Institute, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Louisiana Culinary Institute, Cuyahoga Community College, Pittsburgh Technical College, West Virginia Northern Community College and Sullivan University.

 
For more information, call (440) 891-7609.
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Keep up on the latest Polaris news! Check out our Polaris news release archive.