Review volunteer opportunities for the 2026 Ben E. Keith Oklahoma ProStart Student Invitational on February 26, 2026. Other opportunities include: classroom speaker, and career panel on various dates and times. Make your selection and get ready to change lives.
ProStart RESTART 2026 Program
Presented by the Oklahoma Restaurant Association in partnership with the One Ten Legacy Fund
The Oklahoma Restaurant Association, in partnership with the One Ten Legacy Fund, is proud to support Oklahoma’s ProStart high schools and technology centers through the ProStart RESTART 2026 initiative!
This program is designed to strengthen our future hospitality workforce — and it all starts in the classroom. Through this partnership, funds have been set aside to help enhance ProStart programs across the state by providing much-needed support and resources.
What is ProStart RESTART?
ProStart RESTART provides Oklahoma ProStart educators the opportunity to apply for funding to support a variety of classroom needs within their ProStart programs.
The application process is simple and fully online. Approved applications will be funded on a first-come, first-served basis until all funds have been distributed — so don’t delay! Fund distribution will begin in January 2026.
Take advantage of this opportunity to strengthen your school’s ProStart program and inspire the next generation of hospitality professionals.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for funding:
- You must be a current Oklahoma ProStart school and registered with the NRAEF.
- Funds must be used by December 15, 2026.
- Applications must be submitted by November 15, 2026, provided funds are still available.
- Funds must be used exclusively to support your ProStart culinary or restaurant management program (not for other classes or projects).
- The application must be completed online by the registered ProStart Instructor (Instructor 1 or 2).
- All submissions will be reviewed and approved by the Oklahoma Hospitality Foundation.
General Rules & Deadlines Eligibility The RedBud Awards are open to all Oklahoma tourism entities. Advertising and Marketing agencies are eligible to submit entries but must submit on behalf of their client, and not as an entry for the agency. Entries should represent tourism and/or travel opportunities in Oklahoma. The timeline during which entries must have been produced, published, broadcast, or held must be between January 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. Entries must be submitted online by 11:59 PM on March 11, 2026. No extension will be made to this deadline due to judging schedules.
RedBud winners are not eligible to enter in the same category they won last year. You may enter in any category for which you won a Merit Award, but not a RedBud Award. Entry Fees Payment or purchase orders MUST accompany all entries. Checks should be made payable to OKLAHOMA TRAVEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION. Any entry submitted without payment or purchase order will be disqualified. Entry fees are $35 per category entered.
Payment Processing Payments are not processed online. After submission, please call (405) 942-1121 to pay and complete your entry. By check: Made payable to OKLAHOMA TRAVEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION. Payment/purchase orders MUST accompany all entries. Any entry submitted without payment or purchase order will be disqualified.
Recognition of Winners Winners in each category will be announced during the annual OTIA Redbud Awards dinner on May 5, 2026. Registration for this presentation will be posted online at www.OTIA.info this spring. Winning entries will be recognized in the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association’s monthly newsletter and website, a statewide press release, and through social media.
Judging & Selection Criteria Marketing and event professionals will judge the RedBud Award entries. Awards for each category may include a RedBud Award and/or a Merit Award. However, if sufficient points are not accumulated by any entrant in a category, no awards may be given in that category. In the event of a tie, entries with equal score totals will receive an award. All Tourism Award categories will also be judged on customer service, attendance as compared to previous years, marketing (include plan and budget), media relations (include press releases, clippings, video clips, etc.), industry/community relations, accessibility, the variety of audiences reached, the value for the cost of admission, and effective use of funds.
Entries must have been produced, published, broadcast, or held between 1/1/25 and 12/31/25
Scholarships are offered to OSUIT and OSU HTM Students for the 2026-2027 academic year. The deadline to apply is 3/2/2026 by END OF BUSINESS DAY - 5pm. All applications and supporting documentation must be submitted no later than midnight on the deadline. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.
Applicant Requirements
- Applicants must provide proof that they are: Currently enrolled in a post-secondary culinary/hospitality program at OSUIT or OSU HTM
- Must have performed a minimum of 250 hours of related work experience in the hospitality field
- Must obtain and submit two letters of recommendation:
- One from a faculty member or advisor
- One letter from your off-campus employer or from another hospitality industry employer (if you only work on-campus a letter from your on-campus jobs supervisor is acceptable)
4. Must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
Required Documentation
1. Compose an essay (at least 500 words) and share the following:
- Your reason(s) for applying for a scholarship;
- Why you feel you should receive a scholarship;
- Specific details about your work experience (hospitality-related or non-related) to date;
- What hospitality career path do you plan to pursue, and why;
- Your future goals.
2. Provide copies of paycheck stubs or letter(s) from employer(s) indicating that applicant has completed a minimum of 250 hours of hospitality-related work.
3. A copy of your current college or high school transcript.
4. Two letters of recommendation:
- One from a faculty member or advisor
- One letter from your hospitality industry employer or another person from the hospitality industry with whom you have a relationship.
(If you only work on-campus, a letter from your on-campus job supervisor is acceptable) Each of the letters must be signed and on business and/or OSU letterhead to be accepted).
How Scholarship Applications are Selected
Applications will be preliminarily reviewed to verify the accuracy of the application and the required documents that have been received. Once eligibility is confirmed scholarship applicants will be contacted by email with instructions regarding if they have been selected to for a scholarship interview. Those approved for scholarships will be informed by email after interviews have taken place.
Interview Date/Location
The Scholarship Committees of the ORA and the OHLA will interview qualifying applicants at an in-person interview. The 2026 Interviews will be held on April 2, 2026 on campus at OSU/Stillwater in the HTM department. Students will be informed of the date/time/location directly by email if they are selected for a scholarship interview.