Orlando, Florida, April 2015 – High school hospitality students from Anatol Rodgers High School in the Bahamas took home the international title at the 12th annual American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (AHLEI) HTMP International Competition held April 23-25 at the Rosen Shingle Creek in Orlando. Teams of students competed for scholarship money and a trip to the International Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Show in New York City this November. Anatol Rodgers High School is the first international team to win the competition.
The competition challenged student teams to display their hospitality knowledge and skills through a variety of events including a night audit, room inspection, banquet planning, case studies, and knowledge bowl quiz. Eleven teams participated in this year’s competition, representing schools in the Bahamas, California, Florida, Guam, Idaho, New Hampshire, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Wyoming.
Here is an overview of the winners of this year’s HTMP International Competition:
Overall Winners:
First place: Anatol Rodgers High School, Bahamas. Team members: Ameera Poitier, Dezaraye Dean, Jeanie Farris, Vernajh Pinder. Instructor: Janelle Cambridge-Johnson.
Second place: Okkodo High School, Guam. Team members: Odeth Ignacio, Alyssa Rasalan, Zane Matias, Katrina Mae Tahimik. Instructor: Evon Wong.
Third place: White Mountains Regional High School-Mountain View Academy, New Hampshire. Spencer Nast, Taylor Hill, Megan Sheltry, Wyatt Dodier, Madyson Hopps. Instructor: Morgan Parker-Grima.
Individual event winners were:
Knowledge Bowl: Anatol Rodgers High School, Bahamas (first); Okkodo High School, Guam (second); Monta Vista High School, California (third).
Hotel Operations: White Mountains Regional High School-Mountain View Academy, New Hampshire (first); Anatol Rodgers High School, Bahamas (second); Miami Beach Senior High School, Florida (third).
Hospitality Project: Okkodo High School, Guam (first); Mid-Florida Tech, Florida (second); White Mountains Regional High School-Mountain View Academy (third).
Participants at the HTMP competition got a first glance at the beta version of a new 3D virtual hotel simulation AHLEI is working on. The simulation is played from the standpoint of a hotel general manager, and learners are challenged to solve problems related to guest satisfaction, safety, security, and business operations. Students and teachers were positive about the new product, with learners enjoying the 3D immersive environment and the feedback they received throughout the game.
Winning teams were awarded thousands of dollars in scholarships provided by leading hospitality management schools, including the Culinary Institute of America, Florida International University, Johnson & Wales University, Newbury College, San Diego State University, Sullivan University, and University of Maryland Eastern Shore as well as AH&LEF.
Event sponsors included American Express, HCareers, Loews Hotels & Resorts, Best Western International, and La Quinta Inns & Suites. In addition to the sponsors and scholarship providers, the following organizations provided judges and mentors for the competition: AH&LA, Choice Hotels International, CSM Corporation, Diamond Hospitality Services, Gaylord Palms Resort, Hilton Grand Vacations, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Lake Lawn Resort & Spa, New Castle Hotels & Resorts, Rosen Hotels & Resorts, Salamander Hotels & Resorts, and University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
For more information about the competition and AHLEI’s high school hospitality curriculum, contact Shelly Weir, vice president, domestic sales, at (407) 999-8166 or sweir@ahla.com.
