By Hayden Bunce, Staff Writer
Have you ever wondered who were the ladies behind the chocolate muffin? Well, today you get to meet them as they continuously work incredibly hard to serve you breakfast and lunch daily. Some of these ladies in charge include the lead cook and member of nutrition services; Sianea Langi, Danelle Valenzuela, and the many chefs who help prepare food for students throughout the year. These meals are made fresh each day to provide free meals for every student.
With this, there has been a popular trend where various students get past the one-meal limit. “ I think students need to really understand that they should use their own numbers” Valenzuela adds, “It’s in a way stealing.” With the food being prepared day to day, it’s almost an insult to the cafeteria chefs who are working hard to ensure no student is left hungry. It seems that those who work in the cafeterias get the short end of the stick; especially with their reputation created by their portrayal in the movies.
The trope of the mean lunch lady is constantly presented on screen in high school settings, but is that the case? Long story short, that is not true How does this image make these ladies feel? Langi states, “We smile at the kids and you know we make sure the kids are satisfied with the food.”
The cafeteria chefs care about the students, and they work hard to guarantee their access to breakfast and lunch. It’s important to appreciate those who work to assist others hence “Teacher Appreciation Week,” but what about those who work in the cafeteria?
It’s important to recognize everyone’s hard work and it appears the school does a mighty good job of showing their care and appreciation for all they do.
In addition to talking about appreciation Valenzuela admitted that the administration gives them the credit they deserve as on November 8th, “ they gave us a massage and snacks.”
Langi adds, “When the kids say thank you. When they’re happy with the meal that’s the credit.” Acknowledgement is important so don’t forget to say thank you to these wonderful chefs who work day to day for our school.
It’s apparent that working in a cafeteria is filled with many challenges and joyful moments. Make sure to disregard those mean lunch lady misconceptions. If they were so mean they would likely not put in as much effort to make sure you are well-fed to learn as they do now. So, treat every day as if it was teacher appreciation week and thank those who work hard to make sure your education and school experience is successful.
