I interviewed for a spot in my school's culinary arts program my freshman year. I was very nervous but really wanted a spot because the program felt the most familiar to my younger self. I had to step up at a young age to take care of my siblings while my mom worked hard to provide for us, and one of my most profound memories was cooking for them. One day in between meals we wanted a snack, but I could only find potatoes. I cubed them up, seasoned them, and sauteed them. In my younger self’s eyes, despite the fact that they were way over-salted, they were perfect. That memory was a spark in me waiting to be fueled. Entering my sophomore year, I signed up for all of the cooking-related volunteer events and bootcamps I could. I learned to make different recipes using specific techniques like basting, lamination, deglazing, etc. I learned the valuable skill of teamwork while making connections with students who also enjoyed the process of making recipes. I am also a part of the Culinary Careers Program (C-CAP). When I first competed, I presented confidence even though I was shaking inside. I remembered the coordinator giving us some advice: “You might think you’re competing against all of these people around you, but in reality you’re competing with yourself.” I reflected that the only person who could get me where I wanted to go was myself. I’m always striving to perform better than the time before, one plate at a time. Through the anxiety, I persevered by keeping my goal in mind and staying true to myself. The competition floor was busy with whisks moving and pans sizzling. I thought it was amazing to see the competitors’ immense focus; we all showed our determination and passion for the industry that day. Despite some hiccups, I managed to finish on time and that was all that mattered to me. I ended up winning a scholarship to a bootcamp at Monroe University where I learned a lot (like how to do a tourne), but my time working at Beatrix in downtown Chicago left the biggest impression. At first, I struggled with efficiency, but my coworkers were patient and taught me well. My last two days at Beatrix I was put to work on the cold line, making salads as orders came in. When I made my first poke bowl and sent it out, I was excited that someone would get to enjoy something I made. I thought, “I hope one day I can own a bakery or restaurant and be this welcoming and patient to my employees.” Beatrix taught me that every individual is important to the success of an establishment. I look forward to expanding my palate and finding my unique style of cooking. But I also want to learn how to be a leader in the kitchen, someone who encourages and checks in on everyone from the sous chef to the dishwashers. The Kalia D. Davis Memorial Scholarship 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. 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.

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.

Hello, my name is Andrea Rodriguez, and I am a dedicated athlete focused on improvement both physically and mentally for the sport of volleyball. I currently am a junior in high school and didn't start playing sports until this school year. My sister started actively participating in sports her freshman year, and that sparked my interest to try out for the girls' volleyball team for the following season. I would join games during my PE class to work on my skills as much as I could, and practice at home so that when the day came, I could do my best and hopefully make the team. Unfortunately, I did not make the team that season, but that didn't stop my resilience to get better over the next year. I started going to the gym, practicing by myself during my PE class when we had days where we picked what sport we wanted to play. I was always in a corner practicing my passing, setting, and serving whenever I could. I even got feedback on my technique when the coach saw me practicing. I want people to know the dedication and commitment I have to this sport and how much I love the game. I love the thrill and speed of the game; how quick you have to react to anything that comes your way among other things. I was also going to open gym practices at school during the summer. I got there exactly when they opened and had 2 hours to practice by myself before the coach came with other athletes and started practicing. I believe my commitment is what earned me a spot on the team, and I continued to show how much I wanted to be there throughout the season. I never complained about suicides and always had it in me to finish every single one. The season wasn't always hard work all the way though. I struggled mentally little by little from the losses we had. I'm not saying I wasn't mentally able to bounce back from them, my teammates were the ones making the negative environment within our team which caused me to have moments of doubt within myself. I always gave my all to support my teammates every second I could, but they would just give up so easily which caused our coach to get mad at us and have long talks about how we needed to get better as a team. I was often the athlete my coach compared my other teammates to which might seem nice on the surface, but it created tension between the relationship I had with my teammates. Overall, my first volleyball season didn't go that well. The good thing is, I improved enough to be a starter towards the end of the season. I made great plays and gave opportunities for us to score. I'm still continually improving getting ready for the next season in August 2025. The work never stops for me. I believe there is always something for me to improve on and in reality, the only competition I have is myself. I don't compare myself to anyone and instead focus on what I need to get done to improve as an athlete. One of my goals before graduating high school is get an offer from Johnson and Wales University in Providence, RI. They have a Dlll volleyball program that I would love to be a part of. The team has an amazing bond from what I've seen and JWU has a baking and pastry program that I'm interested in applying to when application season starts.