Cafeteria workers serve meals and smiles at Lindbergh (copy)

By Kirsten Stokes

A good morning message played over the intercom on Wednesday as Lindbergh Elementary cafeteria worker Heather Steele greeted students and asked what they would like for lunch that day.

“Would you like chicken nuggets or a deli sandwich?” Steele asked as kids filtered into school.

At around 8:40 a.m. each day at Lindbergh, Steele begins preparing meals for her students.

“I love the kids,” Steele said. “I look forward to going to work every day.”

The objective for the cafeteria crew is to prepare, serve and clean up after feeding 450 children at Lindbergh for both breakfast and lunch. Steele finds great satisfaction in her role, and coworkers expressed appreciation for her.

“You find an adult in the building that you trust, and I feel like she is that adult for some people,” said Jillian Jenson, a fifth grade teacher. “And not only does she take care of the kids, but she takes care of the staff. So, she’s awesome.”

Students recognize Steele’s efforts and contributions as well.

“I love her. She’s the best,” said Taylor, a fifth grade student.

By 10:40 a.m., lunch is ready to go, starting with kindergarten and moving all the way to fifth grade. Amid the bustling lunchroom, students talked about their favorite parts of lunch.

Children noted various standouts, including burgers, seeing friends and saying hi to the cafeteria workers, including Steele.

“She’s kind and sweet to people,” said Katrina, another Lindbergh student.

Not only are students greeted with positivity by their cafeteria workers, but all children at Lindbergh receive free lunch every day through a food program, allowing some to enjoy meals that they may not otherwise have had at home.

“A lot of them don’t get much food at home so it makes their day so much better, just getting good nutrition,” Steele said.

Additionally, the children are given the opportunity to choose their preferred lunch option each day. Steele is committed to ensuring that this freedom of choice is always available to them, even if they change their minds later in the day.

“It just gives them the chance to make a decision for themselves that day … that keeps their bellies full,” Steele said.

Serving such a large number of children twice a day is not a job for Steele alone; she works with a team of other cafeteria employees who are dedicated to students, just like her. Paulette Hicks, Angie Williams, Heather Taylor, Bernadette Higdon and Kimmi Masterson all work together to get the job done.

Despite a busy day, workers like Hicks stay focused and excited to do the job.

“I’m ready to go,” Hicks said as long lines continued throughout the lunch period. “I’m ready.”

The constant stream of eager children seeking their lunch highlights the importance of maintaining organization and adhering to lunchroom standards.

“We should just be a smile they see through the day,” Steele said. “We’re not there to discipline them … we’re just there to feed them and make sure that their lunch goes good,” she said. “We serve 450 kids and it’s bam, bam, bam all the way through so if they just pay attention and get through the line then it works a lot better.”

When lunch is over and children line up to return their trays, in the back, Steele and her team are properly storing leftover food, cleaning the area thoroughly and counting any extra items to keep track of what to order next or use for the following day.

Steele wants parents at home to know that value and care are put into the meals that she and the team make.

“I always try to make sure whatever the product is, it is the best that we can,” Steele said. “And if I wouldn’t feed it to my kids, I definitely wouldn’t feed it to yours.”

Steele said offering a variety of items is important because it can encourage kids to find new foods to enjoy.

“If they would just try a new one maybe once a week or something, we’ve tried that was a couple of kids and you’d be surprised at how much they will actually enjoy it if they just would try it,” Steele said.

As many adults can look back fondly on memories of their school lunches, Steele and her team are making sure to leave a positive mark on the next generation, too.