Focus on TUSD - April/May 2008

Cooking Up a Storm
Catalina student earns scholarship but chooses Air Force instead
After Catalina Magnet High School senior Josh Linsell was appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy, he didn't relax and celebrate. Instead, he went on to compete in a culinary competition, coming away with the offer of a top scholarship that would have funded culinary school.

Of course, he can't cook while he flies, even though he'd like to, so he turned down the culinary scholarship. Linsell is talented, but he can't do everything.

He chose the academy because he's wanted to be a military pilot for 10 years, ever since he was 8 years old. He admits, though that he was keeping his options open until the end.

Linsell placed first out of 30 Arizona finalists and could have named the scholarship he wanted, from $1,000 to $82,000. He'd been in the culinary arts program for only a year, but he still prepared a French meal: Chicken Chausser with mushroom tarragon sauce, tourned potatoes and crepes with pastry cream and chocolate sauce.

He practiced at the Canyon Ranch resort--which helps all the southern Arizona culinary teachers--every Thursday since the end of January.

Linsell said he enjoyed the constructive feedback from those sessions and used it to improve. "That's probably why I came so far in one year," he said. "I made checklists. That's my military side coming out."

At home, Linsell doesn't cook a lot because he doesn't have all the ingredients for special dishes. But he helps his mother cook and serves as her official taste tester. "I try to be diplomatic with my mom," he joked. And he said his dad's lasagna is the best ever, plus he's a "grill master."

Linsell has been preparing for the academy for years, keeping up his grades, participating in sports and taking on leadership roles. He's a top achiever in the Jr. Reserve Officer Training Corp Armed Drill Team, which won the state championship this month and will compete on the national level. He received his pilot's license earlier this month and is on the swim team that placed first in the region.

His teacher, Connie Campbell, said his culinary classmates decided that in the future, Linsell should star in a new television program where he flies in and prepares a meal.

She said that in the last nine years, students from the Catalina culinary program have earned a total of $262,000 in scholarships, but thought Linsell was probably the contest's highest scoring winner.

Linsell explained his success by saying, "I want to be the best and I like a challenge."

-- By Sharon Dunham
Communications & Media Relations

Photos in the April issue by Jes Ruvalcaba of Communications & Media Relations, unless otherwise noted.

The deadline to submit material for the May Focus is Friday, May 16. The Focus will be published Tuesday, May 27. Email submissions to Chyrl Hill Lander or Sharon Dunham in the Communications & Media Relations Department or use the online Tip Sheet.