When you go to a school with well over a thousand students, so many things go unseen. Some of our most important staff are almost overlooked every day. At Wyoming High School, we have been blessed with an amazing cooking staff. They pour their heart into everything they cook and prepare for us. They were gracious enough to let me come in on one of their mornings to show me how a usual day of preparation for lunchtime.
The lunch crew here puts extra care into keeping everything clean and fresh. They order fresh bread from a bakery nearby for our sub line and all food is made fresh before lunch. They do not reheat frozen goods and always make sure the food is clean. The team also imports fresh fruits and vegetables, ensuring they all get deep cleaned during preparation. A lot of extra care goes into keeping everything sanitized and cleaned before consumption by our students and staff. When I was invited to take a look around the kitchen, everything was clean, wiped down, and spotless.
Another part of this crew I loved was their teamwork and sense of camaraderie.
“ Everyone is always ready to help another,”
“Builds strong bonds with other team members,”
“Helping each other is a big part of this staff,”
Those were just some of the things I heard when I spoke to various members on the cooking staff. This team is always ready to help each other make things go smoothly, and they're always looking for ways to help the team function faster and smoother as a whole.
I also observed great adaptability, with everyone able to take on a role wherever they’re needed.
Lunchtime is usually when things get hectic. With thousands of kids being split up between three different lunches, the pressure is on, and the clock is ticking to get all the kids their food and through the line. But, this staff is not fazed by the pressure.
“When everyone in the staff comes to work, we can all work together. Early preparation so things work smoother,” Jody Roberts told me.
Jody is the cook team lead here at Wyoming High School and she has worked here for many years. I asked her during her time here what was one of the most rewarding things she's gotten from this job. “I gotta watch my kids grow up. It's very cool to see kids grow up and make connections,” Jody said.
I also asked another member of the team what was her favorite part of this job and she said;
“Serving you guys, because I feel like I am doing my part for your goals”.
A lot of our cooking crew does this job just out of the goodness of their own heart, wanting to see us succeed. These ladies and gentlemen come here every day with the one goal of helping us fuel up to pursue our goals. This is just another one of the blessings that we are so lucky to have at Wyoming High School and we take it for granted far too often. They work their tail off every day so that we can have free, clean, and fresh food every single day.
So when you go in that line today or tomorrow, don't steal that piece of food that was given to us for free. Don't cut in line when you have more than enough time to get through. Instead, let's thank them every day. Whether you’re grabbing your food or being checked out after punching your number in, think about the hard work they put in for you.
To our lunch staff, Wyoming, thank you for your hard work you put in every day. It does not go unnoticed. Thank you.