Sometimes it’s not about winning first place, but about leaving an impact on your fellow competitors and the judges. Four students from Fortis Academy represented the school at the Texas ProStart Competition on March 20 in Waco, joining more than 50 high school teams from across the state to compete in a series of culinary and management challenges.
Crystal Leal, Ana Lopez, Jerry Garza and Justice Siwel were tasked with creating a unique three-course meal for judges in an hour. The girls focused on the appetizer, a lime-cured butterfly shrimp with chili essence, while the boys handled a cerveza-battered mahi-mahi taco topped with chipotle sauce that served as the entrée. Dessert was a team effort as they prepared homemade rum-infused ice cream served in a coconut shell.
The time clock expired before the group completed the meal, but industry professionals encouraged students to continue working to plate each dish. Competitors, coaches and judges took notice of Fortis Academy students and their unyielding determination to reach the finish line, gathering around their station to cheer them on.
“Our students represented the true meaning of resilience,” Fortis Culinary Instructor Daisy Alvarez said proudly. “They worked under pressure in a high-paced environment, and it was very emotional to witness them get everything on the plate despite the challenges they faced along the way.”
While they didn’t place in the competition, students showed more than just their culinary skills. The group demonstrated foundational characteristics instilled in them at Fortis Academy – perseverance, teamwork and pride in the progress they’ve made on their journey. Their actions and composure left a lasting impression long after the competition ended and offered a powerful reminder that Fortis Academy students are not defined by their challenges but by how they rise to overcome them.
“I told the students, ‘Since the day you decided to leave the drugs, alcohol and your old lifestyle behind, that’s the day you won because you decided to change your life for the better,’” Alvarez said.