I am Andrea Rodriguez, a senior at North Grand High School who takes part in culinary competitions, volunteer events, and internships, all while balancing rigorous coursework, responsibilities, and limited prep time.
My preparation, application of knowledge, and determination are some of the characteristics that have helped me win a scholarship to a prestigious culinary bootcamp at Monroe University during my junior year through the Culinary Careers Program (C-CAP) competition. This year, I have advanced to the final round of the competition and am competing to hopefully earn a full tuition scholarship to culinary school. I am also a part of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF), participating in volunteer events such as Chicago Gourmet, and I have devoted time to experiencing the ProStart competition firsthand so that I can be as prepared as possible when I compete in the Illinois ProStart Invitational.
Preparing for two culinary competitions scheduled one week apart has required great discipline and sacrifice. With only 5 weekdays left ahead of me after the first competition, I have learned to balance time, stay focused, and stay calm under pressure, even when it's overwhelming. There were moments when I didn’t meet the expectations I set for myself. Instead of dwelling on it, I chose to learn and grow from it. To me, resilience is showing up through exhaustion and choosing to keep improving one dish at a time.
My mom is part of the reason I am so passionate about the things I do because she has shown me her strength and love through the late nights at work and still managing to wake up early to make breakfast for my family. She taught me that food is more than what it is on the plate. Every dish has a story, and when made with love, speaks volumes from the person who made it. From her, I learned how actions speak louder than words. She always finds a way through adversity.
While my involvement in the industry is pretty intense, I also spend time playing volleyball and basketball. This year, the girls’ basketball team are conference champions, a testament to all the hard work we have put into our growth and building chemistry as a team. I have learned to be a leader and set an example for the standards to be upheld in this program. My experience with pressure during culinary competitions has prepared me for the pressure of a championship. Resilience has taught me not only to push myself, but to encourage the people around me when they need it most. Strength is built through accountability and perseverance. I have built my confidence and enjoyed every second on the court and while cheering for my teammates. Being part of the volleyball team has taught me to be mentally strong in everything that I do and trust in my team.
The Ryan McAuliffe Memorial Award is more than tuition relief; it is an investment in the resilient professional I am becoming. By easing the financial burden on my family, this scholarship will allow me to transition from a student with a dream to a pastry artist with a purpose. A goal I have for myself while in culinary school is to find my niche, to find my own unique style and art of pastry that truly represents all I am and my passion for serving others. This opportunity will ease the financial burden for myself and my family so that I may focus on refining my craft and becoming the professional I aspire to be instead of worrying about how to afford my education.
When I was 3 years old, my parents enrolled me in a preschool program that had a mixed classroom. Half of the kids were children with special needs and the other half were not. That’s where I met Sydney. She had cerebral palsy. She loved it when we read to her, when we held her hand, when we tried to push her chair. Sydney was my friend, and being her friend meant that I sometimes needed to adapt what I wanted in order for Sydney to be included.
Now that I am in high school, I am proud to be a peer mentor in the Unified Buddies P.E. Program. As a mentor, I work with non-verbal teenagers with different disabilities. I spend a lot of time with my friend Jaheim, who is 14 and has a few different disabilities that require him to be in a wheelchair. I see Jaheim every day and we play games where he can pick things up, as he loves to carry things. Just recently, Jaheim and I performed a boxing act in the school talent show, and he showed everyone just how strong he is!
If I am not with Jaheim, I am most likely with Nathan playing in the dirt or throwing a ball around. Never in my life have I spent as much time rolling on the ground as I have rolling down hills with Nathan, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am beyond privileged to have the opportunity to work alongside these amazing kids. Each and every one of them has taught me something new, and I have been honored to be able to teach and mentor them in return.
In terms of my career, I have always had an interest in business. However, it wasn’t until completing two pre-college business programs over the summer after my junior year, including MEET Kelley at Indiana University, that I finally decided to major in marketing. These programs helped me gain a better understanding of general economics, finance, accounting, and other fundamental business principles. However, I was absolutely captivated by the field of marketing. I realized that I want to be the person that introduces a new product to the world. I also want to assist with project management and product promotion. In ten years, my goal is to become a global marketing director. I strive to be the person that develops effective marketing strategies and forms relationships between clients that would best suit the needs of all companies involved. In order to achieve my goals, I plan to attend the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University: the incredible place where my interest in marketing was first sparked.
Unfortunately, my dad lost his job during the summer of 2024. He is still currently looking for a job and pursuing every possible opportunity that arises, but in the meantime, we are down to one income. A large amount of that income goes to health insurance and my mom’s medical expenses. My mom is a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in March of 2022. While she had cancer, she fought so incredibly hard, and it was beyond relieving when she began to recover. But sadly, her chemotherapy and her cancer treatment has left her with long term medical issues that have proven to be very costly. The remaining income goes to necessities like groceries, mortgage payments, utilities, etc. There is very little money to pay for education. Receiving this scholarship would be instrumental in me reaching my goal of attending my dream school, Indiana University, this fall.
