Child Nutrition Managers are nominated for this award by the staff in the office for solving a problem or having an action or idea that impacts others in our organization. Examples include suggesting a helpful tip for a recipe, training a staff member that has interest in advancing their career, or giving menu feedback.
Anyone can nominate a child nutrition staff member for this award, including students and staff in the building. This award recognizes an employee who consistently exhibits excellent customer service to students and/or staff. You can nominate a child nutrition staff member from your school using the Google form here.
Dawana is the Assistant Manager at North Wayne Elementary. She has really grown over the past year and has a hunger to learn more! Dawana has assisted at other schools this semester, and the managers wanted her to know what a huge help she was. She left a lasting impression and was requested to help again because they had such a great experience working with her. Dawana is very reliable and does her job well. Thank you, Dawana, for your dedication and hard work. We truly appreciate you!
Angie Ray is our newest assistant manager, and she was nominated for this award for stepping up in a big way and filling in for a manager at one of our schools. Even though her experience is at secondary schools, she has done a great job adapting at the elementary level and learning quickly. She asks great questions and has mentioned how much she has loved the opportunity to work with the staff in this building. We want to give kudos to the entire team for your flexibility and hard work! Thank you, Angie, for your willingness to help and for going above and beyond taking on more responsibility. You’ve done an amazing job, and we want you to know how much you’re appreciated!
Amina (Mimi) is the first assistant manager this year to receive this award, and she is incredibly deserving. Mimi has really grown in her leadership skills this year and dedicated herself to her role. She has gone above and beyond, stepping in to do ordering and leading staff in the kitchen. She has filled in multiple positions to ensure we have everything done and is always willing to help a coworker. Mimi has worked with us for 23 years and is the true jack of all trades. Thank you, Mimi, for your bright spirit and dedication!
Kelly was nominated for this award for her incredible record of helping other schools as well as supporting her employees. She is great at training others and has extensive knowledge from the many years she has dedicated to our department. Kelly is very welcoming and good at motivating others. If there is something she doesn’t know the answer to, she always makes sure to follow up and figure out the answer. Thank you Kelly for your bright personality and your dedication every day at work. We are forever grateful for your willingness to help out other schools when they need it. We are very thankful to have you!
Charlotte is so deserving of this reward! The last day before Fall Break, the power at her building went out. She sprang into action and came up with a backup plan all on her own and did a great job communicating this plan to her administration in the process. She not only still fed the students in her building, but also the students at Sanders and WPA. They couldn’t open the gates to their lines, so she had the amazing idea to use their breakfast carts as lines for lunch. Her calm mentality helped her staff stay grounded and get the job done. She is so great thinking on her feet and being a strong leader. There is no question how much Charlotte truly cares about what she does. Thank you, Charlotte, for all you do, and we are proud of you!
So far this year Tammy has gone above and beyond for her employees. She has a great relationship with the staff and admin in her building. She puts a heavy focus on teamwork and patience. Tammy works just as hard as any staff member in her kitchen. She is always out working alongside her employees and setting a good example. When issues come up, Tammy is very levelheaded and great at finding solutions. Thank you, Tammy, for your consistent presence and hard work each and every day! We know you don’t like to be the center of attention but you deserve it!
Teresa takes the cake for going above and beyond the last few months. She did a great job managing her summer feeding distribution site this summer and has taken on providing meals to Indy West and Chapel Rock this semester without hesitation. They are serving an additional 200 breakfasts and lunches between two satellite locations each day. Teresa is determined to see this program succeed and she has been extremely flexible throughout the process to accommodate students’ needs. She is always the first person willing to put in extra work or try something new. Your creativity and enthusiasm really bring something special to our team. Thank you, Teresa, for all you do!
Bradley is an employee at Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center. He has an infectious personality and is great at checking up on his coworkers to see who needs help. Bradley does a wonderful job making sure the lines are stocked for the servers and helping out with the delivery van for Indy West and Chapel Rock. Any time there is a truck delivery, Bradley is always there to help put food away. He is a team player and fun to be around. Thank you, Bradley, for being you and for bringing extra joy to the kitchen!
Danielle has been a strong team member since the beginning of the school year. She takes it upon herself to help everyone everywhere in the kitchen, no matter the task. She is a bundle of energy and so fun to be around. Each department she is assigned to, she takes ownership of that department, handling it to the best of her ability. She is also loved by the students, giving and receiving hugs on a regular basis. She always has a great attitude, smiling and singing throughout the day. She really brightens the mood in the kitchen. You are a great example of what this job is about and truly connecting with our students. Thanks for all you do!
Lorena is amazing. She is always ready to help anyone in the kitchen. She comes out to serving line when she knows a Spanish speaking student is getting ready to come through to help them. You can tell that those students are very comforted when she is there. She keeps her area very clean and organized. Lorena is a very exceptional person and coworker. We are very lucky to have her in our kitchen.
Clara is a ray of sunshine when she comes into work. She has made so many relationships with staff and students and it’s so great to see. Clara comes in and hits the ground running. She has become the water gal over the years and ensures that the water jug is refilled between the lunch lines. On top of that she serves her own line and helps wherever she can. I have also made her a floater of the kitchen before, and she does a wonderful job completing all tasks. Clara is a great team player with a wonderful attitude and outlook on the day. She is very deserving of this award.
Yvette started working for our department last semester. Since then, she has been a bright addition to our staff! When you say hello to Yvette, you are sure to be greeted with a smile. She takes the extra care to get to know the students she serves and makes them feel special. Recently she noticed a student having a down day and asked how they were doing. She made sure the next time she saw them that she was able to brighten their day. A small kind gesture towards someone else can have such a big impact, and we are very proud to see you setting this example and being a role model for our students. Thank you, Yvette, for your kind heart!
Sharon is always going out of her way to help anyone. She is our go to person when you need a helping hand. She treats everyone with respect. If you have a question, with the years and time she has put into our kitchen, she always has an answer. Everyone is always comfortable being around her. When she was off work, she was always willing to answer any questions some of the ladies needed to ask her, concerning the amount needed and how many bags or cases needed to prep. She was always a phone call away. She also is really awesome with our students. They all love her!! We are very proud and thankful she is a big part of our crew!!!
Keith is new to our department this year, and he is truly a jack of all trades! He was hired as a kitchen custodian, but he has gone above and beyond assisting whoever needs help. Keith does a great job at recognizing when a department needs assistance and jumps right in to help get the job done, without being asked. He is dependable and reliable whenever there is a task at hand. He is flexible to switch up at any given time no matter what the task is. We appreciate Keith’s willingness to learn anything and help train others. He has a great attitude and gets along well with the staff in his kitchen. We are so glad to have you on board this year! Thank you Keith for all you do!
