School Nutrition Employees Celebrated for Commitment & Caring

They are the front-line employees who greet students each morning for breakfast and  lunch.  They notice when students are having a good day or a bad one. School nutrition employees are essential members of the community.  On School Lunch Hero Day, these regional winners of School Nutrition Association’s Employee of the Year award are being recognized for their remarkable commitment to both their school meal program and the students they serve. 

Russell Barlow, Child Nutrition Program Stock Clerk and Janitor for Douglas High School, Marshall County Schools, Alabama, Southeast Region Employee of the Year 

Russell Barlow is known throughout his school as a kind and encouraging individual who works at developing positive relationships with staff and students. Everyone knows Barlow by name, and he makes a point to know their names as well. He is a valued staff member whose dedication is evident by the fact that he rarely misses a day.

Barlow is credited with changing the culture in the cafeteria, showing up each day with a positive and encouraging attitude. He always participates in school theme days for National School Lunch Week or Breakfast Week and can be seen wearing his COOL Lunchroom Dude shirt and dressing up in costumes, including hamburger suits and crazy glasses. 

Barlow worked with school administrators and teachers to develop a way for in-school suspension students to help in the cafeteria and learn about responsibility. The program allows him to get to know these students and serve as a role model. He also enlisted the help of art students to create a sign in the high school parking lot to promote new menu items and the food service program positively. Showing support for graduating seniors, Barlow decorates signs and his motorcycle for the senior parade every year. The students love seeing Barlow and other staff members lined up outside as they proudly walk through in their caps and gowns.

Barlow passed his ServSafe test shortly after being hired and completed his Level 1 SNA certification. He works to earn more professional standard hours than required each year and participates in training every chance he gets. 

Sheena Boyd, Production Staff Professional for Cedar Creek Elementary School, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Missouri, Mountain Plains Region Employee of the Year

Sheena Boyd is known to go above and beyond what is expected and does so with a calming and positive attitude. The students love it when she is at the Grab & Go breakfast station. She brings a smile to their tired faces, calling students by name and complimenting them to start their day. School staff members appreciate the kindness and respect she shows them each day. When incoming kindergartners come into the cafeteria nervous and unsure, Sheena’s kindness and patience help make them feel safe and cared for. 

Meal quality, appearance and presentation are very important to Boyd. She often utilizes speed scratch cooking, and her out-of-the-box thinking allows her to maintain planned menus, even when staff is shorthanded. Boyd is self-motivated and steps up to fill the void during staffing challenges, often doing the work of two people without complaint. She can be seen cleaning and closing the kitchen, completing end-of-day reports and making bank deposits when her manager is absent. Her hard work was recognized when she was named Nutrition Services Employee of the Month.

Boyd and the staff created excitement among students during the Christmas season when the school Elf appeared in different areas of the cafeteria each day, spotted in the milk cooler, hanging on a mixer, or covered with shredded cheese from helping in the kitchen.

Boyd is SNA certified and attends local and state SNA meetings regularly with an eye toward both professional improvement and uncovering new ideas to implement at school. She also frequently attends events on batch cooking, forecasting and recipes to learn new ideas of meals to prepare for students. 

Sonia DelGreco, Cafeteria Employee, Thomas Hooker Elementary School, Meriden Public Schools, Connecticut, Northeast Region Employee of the Year 

Sonia DelGreco is known for her radiating spirit, participating in school-wide theme days by decorating serving lines and dressing up in colorful costumes. Her enthusiasm and creativity help create an environment where students embrace the school nutrition program and enjoy the nutritious meals served to them. Her positive attitude and dedication emit a sense of joy that resonates throughout the school community.

DelGreco believes that even the smallest acts can have an impact on a child’s day. She learns students’ names and their dietary needs and preferences to build personal connections and establish a strong sense of community. Her efforts foster a safe and welcoming space that contributes to overall student well-being and satisfaction. 

DelGreco recently demonstrated exceptional leadership and resilience when stepping into a temporary cafeteria manager role for 12 weeks at the largest school in the district. She successfully managed a substantial workload increase, including the planning of numerous complicated catering events and overseeing four satellite program meal deliveries. She navigated the kitchen staff through a variety of challenges and never hesitated to complete all tasks, no matter how big or small.

Professional development and growth are important to DelGreco. She is currently pursuing her Level 2 SNA Certification. She also enrolls in online school nutrition leadership courses, providing her with crucial communication, delegation and team-building skills essential for a future cafeteria manager. 

Rosa Roque, Nutrition Services Assistant, Lincoln Elementary School, Woodburn School District #103, Oregon, Western Region Employee of the Year 

Rosa Roque is described as a star employee who greets students each morning with a smile and a positive attitude. She is always willing to help a struggling student or colleague and lends at hand at other school kitchens within the school district when needed. Roque serves as a great example for others with the efficient and hands-on way she performs her duties, her high energy, and her upbeat nature.

For holidays and celebrations such as National School Lunch Week and Breakfast Week, she dresses up and promotes what’s being served in a fun and uplifting way. Roque understands the importance of offering students a variety of healthy options and consistently adds new fruits and vegetables to the salad bar. Menu options burst with color and flavor, such as freshly sliced jicama infused with lime or locally sourced berries.

Roque believes in professional development and participation and is among the first to sign up for state and national conferences. She strives to be an active member of SNA and always passes on important information to others. This includes member benefits and the wealth of knowledge she gains when attending these events. Roque also regularly attends virtual trainings through the Institute of Child Nutrition and SNA 

Hollie Valenzuela, Food Services Assistant, Roswell Independent School District, New Mexico,  Southwest Region Employee of the Year 

Hollie Valenzuela is the person others turn to if they need something or have questions about the school nutrition program; she is always willing to do more than what is required. She pays attention to what the students are eating and consistently seeks innovative ways to improve the food service program for them. 

Described as the go-to for creative projects, Valenzuela is in charge of the program’s website and puts together back-to-school packets each year for the administrators, school secretaries and nutrition department, plus other information about student nutrition. She decorates the nutrition office for holidays to make it more inviting for visitors and plans themed get-togethers for staff.

Although not part of her job responsibilities, Valenzuela volunteers at outside events taking place in the schools and is always willing to help others any way she can. She goes above and beyond to support school nutrition staff, helping to ensure their timesheets and point of sale reports are correct, and she is diligent about how money for the program is spent. Valenzuela helps vendors with invoices and answers inquiries from everyone calling with program questions. 

Valenzuela currently supports her school nutrition colleagues throughout the state as New Mexico SNA Vice President. She attends all of the state and national SNA conferences she can, including the School Nutrition Industry Conference and the National Leadership Conference. She also attends in-house and NM SNA state board training sessions and frequently participates in online trainings held by the Institute of Child Nutrition and the New Mexico Public Education Department.

Melissa Willhite, Tracy Elementary School, Tracy Area Schools, Minnesota, Midwest Region Employee of the Year 

Melissa Willhite is described as someone who leads by example and goes above and beyond to ensure students and staff know the food on their trays is made with love. She will do whatever task is needed to get the job done and does so with a smile and a positive attitude. Willhite is a great communicator and liaison between students and staff. She works to make meals appealing and speaks with students to get their feedback on new menu items and determine adjustments that might be needed.

She takes great care in managing the backpack program for students in need, putting food in their lockers on Fridays so they have healthy food to enjoy through the weekend. Willhite is the eyes and ears working to promote the school’s food service program on Facebook, including posts on job openings and daily menu items.

Willhite will do whatever job there is and help everyone out, especially when the kitchen is short-staffed. She teaches staff about portion sizing and what makes up a reimbursable school meal, making sure that all staff understand what is expected and how to serve students the right amount every time.  

Professional development is important to Willhite. She frequently attends SNA webinars to learn what is new with the organization and has attended every state association conference for the last 10 years. Willhite brings that knowledge back to the kitchen to share with fellow employees. 

The Employee of the Year Award was created to recognize outstanding school nutrition employees who influence the quality of school meals through customer service, an interest in young people, cooperation, work attendance, creativity, participation in professional development and their willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty.  

The winners were announced as the regional Employees of the Year during an online awards ceremony on April 30 in advance of School Lunch Hero Day, celebrated on May 3, 2024, to honor all of America’s dedicated school nutrition professionals. The accomplishments of all SNA award winners will also be highlighted in a special digital publication and promoted in SNA’s annual Hero Day social media campaign on Facebook.com/TrayTalk and TrayTalk.org.

About School Nutrition Association:
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 50,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. For more information on school meals, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/SchoolMeals.