CLEVELAND–Cleveland High School culinary students participated in the 2017 annual ProStart Culinary Invitational in Durham, NC at the Culinary Academy. This team consisted of Ryley Robinson, Queltic Gulat and Jordan Fields. Advising them was Crystal Stinnent, the culinary teacher at Cleveland High School. Four schools in Johnston County were represented.

The annual North Carolina ProStart Invitational is a culinary competition that lasts two days. High school teams from all over the state must show off their skills in restaurant management and culinary art. Cleveland’s team leader was first time competitor, Ryley Robinson, who lead a team of herself and Quelitc Gulat and Jordan Fields.

The team finished second overall at the NC Pro Start Invitational in the “Restaurant Management” category and fourth in Culinary Arts. Team leader Ryley Robinson said the performances were a “team effort.” Robinson and Fields earned over $17,000.00 scholarships toward culinary education. This was the first time in three years that the Rams sent a team to the competition.