School Nutrition Employees Recognized for Outstanding Service

School Lunch Hero Day (SLHD) celebrates school nutrition professionals for the many positive impacts they make in their communities through the year. From creating welcoming environments and serving culturally relevant meals to ensuring meal access for students in need and providing engaging nutrition education, their efforts are felt by students nationwide. Established in 2013, SLHD is a collaborative effort between School Nutrition Association (SNA) and Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author of the popular Lunch Lady graphic novel series.

Each year on the first Friday in May, SLHD honors hardworking professionals who support student health and well being in schools across the country. This week, SNA is also taking the opportunity to spotlight regional honorees of the Employee of the Year awards, individuals who have gone above and beyond to benefit their students and school communities. Congratulations to them and to all the 2026 award winners at the national, regional and state levels.

Anita Toft, cook for Centennial ISD 12, Minnesota: Midwest Region Employee of the Year

Anita Toft has the experience and knowledge to efficiently serve crowds of students at the Centennial High School store with competence and grace. She knows students by name, serving more than 350 students on her own each day in the store, stocking it with favorites based on her memory of their preferences. Toft also makes fresh options for the school’s grab and go menu, providing healthy alternatives such as fresh salads to the main lunch menu. Toft works to develop a connection with each student, some students will not stop at the store on the rare days she’s absent. She remains pleasant and professional even during hectic days.

Professional growth and development are important to Toft. She is working to earn her SNA Level 4 Certificate and is eager to watch training videos to keep up to date with the latest best practices related to her profession.

Angel Bates, cook for Woodbridge School District, Delaware: Mid-Atlantic Region Employee of the Year

As newly appointed head cook at Phillis Wheatley Elementary School, Angel Bates accepted all roles given to her with a smile and unparalleled effort to make the school meal program operation a success. She ensures that the school’s 640 students receive healthy and safe meals, enforcing strict sanitary guidelines throughout her child nutrition career. She often takes detailed notes of what menu options students like and do not like to alleviate waste, adjusting meal choices and increasing meal participation by 11 percent as a result. Bates takes time to ensure food presentation is superb by garnishing and keeping meal service lines fresh, clean and eye appealing. 

Bates’ work extends beyond her kitchen duties. She has played a role in the success of the district’s Thanksgiving luncheon, teacher appreciation meals and National School Breakfast and Lunch Week celebrations. She also runs the Summer Feeding program and steps in as the After School Supper programs manager during manning shortages with minimal supervision and great success.

Always looking to learn, Bates joined the Delaware School Nutrition Association (DSNA) to keep up to date on changes and new ideas within child nutrition. She is Serv-Safe certified and enrolled in Institute of Child Nutrition (ICN) web-based courses to advance her knowledge. From attending monthly Food Safety Solution (FSS) trainings to people skills workshops, Bates strives to stay one step ahead, helping her earn promotions and distinctions in the district.

 Lucia Doria, School Nutrition Employee for Braintree Public Schools, Massachusetts: Northeast Region Employee of the Year

Lucia Doria is described as a champion and advocate for students at Braintree High School, ensuring the school menu reflects healthy options that they prefer. When testing new menu items with students, Doria shares honest, thoughtful feedback about how each item was received. Truly beloved among students, Doria is known as a genuine person who loves her job and cares for the well-being of every student. She recently took the time to give a group of high school seniors a tour of the kitchen, creating different ways to connect with the students, share insights and keep them interested in school meals.

Always striving to make improvements, Doria came up with the simple but effective idea of mounting napkin and utensil holders to the wall, transforming the flow of the cafeteria while freeing up counter space and reducing clutter. She views everyday challenges with a fresh perspective to uncover creative, smart and practical solutions. Using her 30+ years of experience in school nutrition, food safety and sanitation, she elevates the entire department with her hands-on mentorship.

Doria has shown a willingness to adapt to changes in technology and respond to operational needs throughout her career. Her commitment to the program has been evident through the years, as she adjusted to everything from new kitchen equipment to point-of-sale systems. Doria partnered with a culinary consultant to modify menu items for her school’s breakfast program, while learning key skills needed to meet updated school nutrition standards.

Hannah-Marie Bond, Nutrition Bookkeeper for Tullahoma City Schools, Tennessee: Southeast Region Employee of the Year

Hannah-Marie Bond demonstrates exceptional care and compassion for students and handles finances related to economically disadvantaged students with confidentiality. She spent one lunch break each week for the last two years with a student who needed emotional support, a reflection of her deep commitment to serving students with dignity, empathy, and genuine concern. Bond also developed an initiative to track employee birthdays and recognize staff with thoughtful, personalized gestures. 

Bond’s approach to her job helps alleviate coworkers’ stress, increases employee engagement and strengthens staff readiness for daily operations. She designed a new inventory-tracking systems to improve accuracy, reduce waste and streamline ordering, and configured workflows to align with cashier needs and student data systems. She also contributes innovative approaches to teach staff operational and compliance information, creating hands-on training tools such as games, mazes, riddles, puzzles and team-based challenges. 

Bond is committed to continuous learning and knowledge-sharing and actively participates in SNA, attending state trainings and conferences. She regularly shares conference insights with colleagues to foster a culture of continuous improvement and works to stay current on USDA regulations and emerging trends in school nutrition. Knowledge gained from SNA state and regional sessions were put into practice during a major software transition where she led staff training while stressing regulatory compliance. 

Georgia Georgacopulos Lopez, Child Nutrition Operations Specialist for YES Prep Public Schools, Texas: Southwest Region Employee of the Year

Georgia Georgacopulos Lopez consistently delivers exceptional customer service to students by creating a welcoming cafeteria environment where everyone feels seen and valued. Through her innovative problem-solving and strategic promotional efforts, she helped increase student breakfast participation, successfully rebuilding enthusiasm and strengthening student buy-in while staying within budget and operational constraints.

She greets each student by name and has a kind manner, always responsive to students’ concerns and preferences. Lopez accommodates special dietary needs with care and discretion and takes the time to explain alternative menu options in an encouraging way. She introduced themed menu days and uses colorful signage, fun meal names and attractive plating to make nutritious options more appealing to students.

Fostering connections between her department and the school community is important to Lopez. She actively holds food tastings and disperses educational materials, offering personal assistance to help families when needed. Her approachable manner builds confidence in the program as does her prompt and professional responses to parent inquiries.

Through ongoing professional development, Lopez has helped the team produce higher-quality meals and a more innovative nutrition program. Lopez stays up to date on nutrition regulations, menu planning best practices and student engagement strategies by regularly attending state and national SNA conferences. She implemented new workflows and coaching techniques, improved scratch-cooking techniques and enhanced menu variety after participating in SNA workshops on leadership, operations and customer service.