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Are
you a gourmet in the kitchen? Let one dish-making
diva show you how she scored major money
as a result.
Cooking
Up Free Money!
By
Robyn Tellefsen
May 2002
The
CollegeBound Network NewsClick -- "I
just said, 'I'm going to get all the scholarships
I can,'" recalls Ashlyn Smith, now
a senior at Northern High School, North
Durham, NC. And she proved this could be
done when she won a full-tuition scholarship
to Johnson & Wales University, Providence,
RI, valued at about $68,000.
A
food fanatic since she was four years old,
Ashlyn was a natural for the 13th Annual
National High School Recipe Contest at Johnson
& Wales University. "I've always loved
to cook," she says.
Ashlyn
beat out over 400 applicants with her very
own dinner recipe, and was selected to compete
in the finals, where she vied with 20 other
teenagers for culinary scholarships. At
the March 15-17th competition in Providence,
RI, she cooked up a storm with her pan-seared
New Zealand John Dory Fillets and roasted
lobster broth. Sticking to the nutrition
guidelines of the American Cancer Society
and the American Heart Association, Ashlyn
served her fish with healthy basmati rice
and sauteed vegetable straws.
After
spending a grueling morning cooking, Ashlyn
was declared the first-place winner in the
healthy family dinner category. "I
couldn't believe it; I didn't expect it
at all," she says. "I'm a girl
from Bahama, NC, with no culinary expertise
whatsoever!"
Winning
a full ride "hasn't sunk in yet,"
says Ashlyn. She estimates, however, that
she'll still need $30,000 for additional
expenses such as room and board. Of course,
that's not a problem since she received
three other scholarships from the university
based on her stellar academics and community
involvement.
Just
in case her complete costs won't be covered
by the additional scholarships, Ashlyn has
a back-up plan. "I also applied for
scholarships through my high school, which
I'll find out about soon," she assures.
"I'm applying for all I can."
Based
on her success story, Ashlyn has a positive
view of the scholarship process. "Go
for all the scholarships you can,"
she advises financial-aid seekers. "Work
your hardest!"
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