National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
Award 2007 ProStart Teacher Training and Development Awards

Chicago, IL April 18, 2007- Demonstrating its strong commitment to the professional development of educators, the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) announced today the recipients of the 2007 ProStart Teacher Training and Development Awards. Eight ProStart educators from across the country will be awarded an all-expenses paid trip to sponsoring companies' management training programs. This opportunity will increase their understanding of foodservice management and enhance their awareness of the career opportunities available in the restaurant and foodservice industry to better provide career guidance for students.

"The ProStart Teacher Training and Development Awards are an excellent opportunity for these outstanding educators to experience first-hand what it's like to work in all aspects of a restaurant or foodservice operation," said Mary M. Adolf, president and COO of the NRAEF. "Armed with that experience, they can better teach their students the management skills they will need to succeed and lead our industry into the future. We are proud to work with our ProStart program partners to make this experience possible for these deserving educators."

The ProStart Teacher Training and Development Awards recognize exceptional teachers who use the ProStart curriculum in their classrooms. Eight educators have been selected to attend an in-house management-training program offered by five ProStart program partners: Buca, Inc., Compass Group, Golden Corral Corporation, Ruth's Chris Steak House and Red Lobster.

The winning educators are:

Buca, Inc. - Minneapolis, Minnesota
. Shari Anderson, Gadsden High School, El Paso, Texas

Compass Group - Charlotte, North Carolina
. Willa Kinlaw-Shaw, F.E. Dubose Career Center, Manning, South Carolina

Golden Corral - Raleigh, North Carolina
. Dawn Rupp, Cloudcroft High School, Cloudcroft, New Mexico
. Debbie Taylor, Donaldson Career Center, Spartanburg, South Carolina
. Lisa Campbell, Las Cruces High School, Las Cruces, New Mexico

Red Lobster - Orlando, Florida
. Pamela Williams, Dillard High School, Lauderhill, Florida

Ruth's Chris Steak House - Orlando, Florida
. Faith Amroune, Pruden Center of Industry & Tech., Suffolk, Virginia
. Chris Neuffer, South Salem High School, Salem, Oregon

The NRAEF implements the ProStart program for more than 54,000 students in conjunction with 47 state restaurant associations. This partnership brings restaurant and foodservice operators, educators, and government officials together to coordinate the program in their state. The restaurant and foodservice industry is one of the largest employers in the U.S. with 12.8 million employees, and an additional 2 million positions will be added over the next decade. To help meet that challenge, ProStart is building a pipeline of qualified individuals ready to take leadership roles within the industry.

The ProStart program is a two-year curriculum designed to teach high school students the management skills needed for a career in the restaurant and foodservice industry. Students also have the opportunity to participate in paid internships under industry mentors. When students meet academic standards, complete a checklist of competencies, and participate in at least 400 hours of a mentored work experience, 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 and National ProStart Student Invitational, please visit www.weareprostart.org.

The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fulfilling the educational mission of the National Restaurant Association. As the nation's largest private sector employer, the restaurant and foodservice industry is the cornerstone of the American economy, of career-and-employment opportunities, and of local communities. Focusing on three key strategies of risk management, recruitment, and retention, the NRAEF is the premier provider of educational resources, materials, and programs, which address attracting, developing and retaining the industry's workforce. Sales from all NRAEF products and services benefit the industry by directly supporting the NRAEF's educational initiatives. For more information on the NRAEF, visit www.nraef.org.