School Lunch Heroes – TrayTalk.org

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.

School Nutrition Managers Recognized for Dedication & Compassion

School nutrition managers are an integral part of a nutrition team. Hands-on in the school kitchen and cafeteria, these individuals excel in providing high-quality, nutritious meals to students throughout the school year. The School Nutrition Association’s Manager of the Year award recognizes the dedication, ingenuity and compassion shown by cafeteria managers in regions across the country.

School Nutrition Directors Honored For Extraordinary Contributions

School Lunch Hero Day is celebrated on the first Friday in May to recognize women and men who dedicate their professional lives to the health and well-being of children in school districts across the country. The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is highlighting the achievements of those named Director of the Year from regions across the country, recognizing their extraordinary contributions to manage effective school meal programs providing healthy, appetizing meals to students.

Nationally Recognized School Lunch Heroes

The non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) is celebrating the efforts of school nutrition professionals all week leading up to School Lunch Hero Day on May 3. During an online award ceremony today, SNA President Chris Derico, SNS, recognized all regional award winners and unveiled the national Director, Manager and Employee of the Year for 2024. All of these individuals show exemplary dedication and outstanding commitment to the school nutrition profession and the students they serve:

Employee of the Year:

Mid-Atlantic: Shenna Morrison, Harford County Public Schools, MD (national winner)
Midwest: Melissa Willhite, Tracy Area Public Schools, MN
Mountain Plains: Sheena Boyd, Lee’s Summit R-7 Schools, MO
Northeast: Sonia DelGreco, Meriden Public Schools, CT
Southeast: Russell Barlow, Marshall County Schools, AL
Southwest: Hollie Valenzuela, Roswell Independent School District, NM
Western: Rosa Roque, Woodburn School District #103, OR

Manager of the Year:

Northeast: Vivian Crespo, Meriden Public Schools, CT (national winner)
Mid-Atlantic: Rommel Ongaco, Woodbridge School District, DE
Midwest: Sandra Hirdler, Osseo Area Schools ISD 279, MN
Mountain Plains: Kathleen Schneider, El Paso County School District 49, CO
Southeast: Maggie Oswalt, Scott County Schools, KY
Southwest: Luana Adams, Hobbs Municipal Schools, NM
Western: Valerie Moore, Tigard-Tualatin School District, OR

Director of the Year:

Western: Eric Span, Sweetwater Union High School District, CA (national winner)
Mid-Atlantic: Sandra Stokes, SNS, Petersburg City Public Schools, VA
Midwest: Stacey Bettis, Minerva, Brown & Tuscarawas Local School Districts, OH
Mountain Plains: Beth Wallace, SNS, Jefferson County Public Schools, CO
Northeast: Caitlin Lazarski, MS, RD, SNS, Pine Bush CSD, NY
Southeast: Dawn Lewis, M.Ed.L, Coffee County School System, GA
Southwest: Amy Woolsey, SNS, Ogden School District, UT

Read more about the efforts of the three national winners here and check back everyday this week for details on each of the regional winners in the Director, Manager and Employee categories.

Empowering Employees with Disabilities in Delaware Cafeterias

Despite many advantages to working in school cafeterias over restaurants, including school breaks and weekends off, many school nutrition departments still face staffing shortages. One district in Delaware discovered that finding a place for employees with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) has added more than just staff to fill positions – they created a more positive work environment in the process.

This school year, Caesar Rodney School District nutrition department set a goal to hire one team member identified as IDD within each of its 15 schools. The district says it is well on its way to reaching that goal!

School Nutrition Employees Honored for Outstanding Work

They are often the first people students see when they grab their school breakfast or offer a familiar smile to greet students for lunch. On School Lunch Hero Day, these regional winners of School Nutrition Association’s Employee of the Year award are being recognized for their job well done!

School Nutrition Managers Recognized for Making a Difference

Across the country, school nutrition managers positively impact the children who come through their cafeteria lines for breakfast and lunch each day. The School Nutrition Association’s Manager of the Year award recognizes the dedication, ingenuity and compassion shown by cafeteria managers who have excelled in providing high-quality, nutritious meals to students throughout the school year.

Celebrating School Nutrition Directors for their Dedication

In conjunction with School Lunch Hero Day, School Nutrition Association is highlighting the achievements of those named Director of the Year from regions across the country. The award recognizes extraordinary contributions of directors who manage effective school meal programs providing healthy, appetizing meals to students.

School Lunch Heroes Recognized Nationally

The non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) is celebrating the efforts of school nutrition professionals all week leading up to School Lunch Hero Day on May 5. During an online award ceremony on May 2, SNA President Lori Adkins, MS, SNS, CHE announced national Director, Manager and Employee of the Year award winners, recognized for their dedication and outstanding commitment to the school nutrition profession.

Cafeteria Employees Recognized as School Lunch Heroes

They are the frontline employees greeting students across the country everyday, providing a friendly face and a nourishing meal. They get to know the children by name and help create memorable meals and moments in the cafeteria.

The national, non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) received hundreds of nominations of stellar cafeteria professionals and awarded six Regional Employees of the Year. The award was created to recognize outstanding school nutrition employees who exhibit a remarkable commitment to both their school meal program and the students they serve. Meet the 2022 winners, who will be celebrated together with colleagues across the country as part of School Lunch Hero Day on May 6, 2022: