PIERRE, SD – Culinary education in South Dakota is growing. A record number of South Dakota high schools are participating in ProStart this year. The two-year, industry-backed program for culinary arts and restaurant management is coordinated by the South Dakota Retailers Association.
High schools in 28 different communities are offering ProStart to their students during the 2026-2027 school year. Elkton and Lower Brule High Schools are offering it for the first time this year.
Seanna Regynski, ProStart State Coordinator, says that the growth is good news for restaurants and food service in South Dakota.
She added that ProStart introduces students to both front-of-the-house and back-of-the-house operations giving the students a headstart for careers in the field and employers a stronger applicant pool.
South Dakota schools participating in the ProStart Program this year are:
- Aberdeen ATEC
- Alcester-Hudson High School
- Bridgewater-Emery High School
- Clark High School
- Elkton High School
- Florence High School
- Hamlin School District
- Harrisburg High School
- Hot Springs High School
- Huron High School
- Irene-Wakonda High School
- Lower Brule School District
- Madison Central High School
- Mitchell CTE Academy
- Mobridge-Pollock High School
- Northeast Technical School (Watertown)
- Rapid City Central High School
- Rapid City Stevens High School
- SD Virtual School
- Sioux Falls CTE Academy
- St. Francis Indian School
- Sturgis Brown High School
- T. F. Riggs High School (Pierre)
- Todd County High School
- Wagner Community High School
- Webster High School
- Willow Lake High School
- Vermillion High School
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