Culinary Arts

The PTA Council of Baltimore County will host "Education: A Team Effort," a countywide educational summit for parents, educators and community leaders, at 6 p.m. today at New Town High School, 4931 New Town Blvd. in Owings Mills. The summit will include a reception with light fare, desserts prepared by Western School of Technology culinary arts students and exhibits by more than 60 organizations and associations. The fee is $10 per person. Information: 410-521-0019.

Pastry chef joins Alice's French Country Bakery Alice's French Country Bakery has hired Bridgette Dowery as a pastry chef. Dowery studied culinary arts in high school and graduated cum laude from Johnson and Wales University, Providence, R.I., with a degree in baking and pastry. She worked at Charleston Place Hotel in South Carolina, where she designed a dessert menu for high tea and trained students in baking procedures. Dowery served an externship at Kinds Mill Resort in Williamsburg before returning to Carroll County, where she was bakery manager for a local food store.

Anne Arundel Community College's Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute recently won 12 major awards at a regional competition in Washington and an international contest in New York City. Seven culinary students and four instructors were awarded a total of four gold, six silver and two bronze medals. "Winning four gold medals is an unprecedented accomplishment for the AACC Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute," said Mary Ellen Mason, HCAT institute director. The first HCAT group won two gold, two silver and one bronze medal Nov. 8 at the Nation's Capital Chef's Association Category K Culinary Competition at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, where 24 students and instructors participated.

The Carroll County Career and Technology Center had its awards ceremony Thursday and presented the following program honors:* Air conditioning and refrigeration: Robert King, Francis Scott Key High; David Boyer, Westminster High; Allen Jackson, adult.* Auto body: Kerry Collins, North Carroll High.* Auto mechanics: Will Graf, NCHS.* Carpentry: Steven Schubert, WHS.* Computer technology: Jill Sweeney, WHS.* Cosmetology: Stacia McGee, NCHS; Ricky Vincent, WHS.* Culinary arts: Angie Robertson, South Carroll High.

Hospital, Mills' firm honored for career guidanceCarroll County General Hospital and Mills' Communications were recognized as outstanding career connections partnerships at the 1996-1997 Partnership Dinner sponsored by the Carroll County Career and Technology Center.The hospital has had a partnership with the center for 25 years, providing clinical experience for the licensed practical nurse students. The hospital expanded its partnership to include other health-care careers as well as culinary arts and building maintenance.

CHARITY WINE TASTING -- Sample international wines and light appetizers at 6 p.m. Oct. 17 at the Wine Market Cafe, 921 E. Fort Ave. Sponsored by the Life and Breath Foundation to benefit the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Sarcoidosis Clinic. $50. Call 410-244-6166. SPICING UP DINNER --Learn to make ordinary food taste extraordinary in "Beyond the Basics - Cooking Like a Pro" at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Hospitality, Culinary Arts and Tourism Institute at the Glen Burnie Town Center or on the Arnold campus of Anne Arundel Community College.

Niki Walters, Mercy SPORT SOCCER GIRLS STATS -- The goalie for a Mercy soccer team that finished 9-8-1, Walters made 189 saves and stopped 89 percent of the shots she faced. The senior also plays for the Parkville Soccer Club elite team and has been a goalie since she was in seventh grade. Walters, who also runs indoor track and plays lacrosse for the Magic, hopes to play soccer in college. SIDELINES -- An honor student, Walters wants to go to culinary arts school and hopes to own her own restaurant.

Five Howard County School of Technology students and one Howard Community College student won the right last weekend to represent Maryland at the national Vocational Industrial Clubs of America skills olympics in June.The students took first-place awards in the 18th annual state VICA skills olympics, which took place last Saturday. In addition, the Howard County students brought home six second-place and three third-place awards from the competition.First-place winners and the categories in which they competed were Joe Davis, a senior at Glenelg High School, printing technology; Tae Kim, a senior at Mount Hebron, computer-aided drafting and VICA pindesign; Shaun McCarty, Howard Community College, post-secondary culinary arts competition.

Howard School of Technology students won six first-place awards, four second-place honors and three third-place awards in the Vocational Industrial Clubs of America statewide skill olympics last weekend.First-place winners become eligible to compete at VICA's national convention in Louisville, Ky., in June. Howard cosmetology student Christy Dexter will also go to the national event as one of five voting delegates chosen by Maryland students to represent them at the convention.Chip Harris, state VICA director, said he was pleased that the awards this year "were spread out across the state."