Lunchtime madness

Christine+Textor+smiles+as+she+cooks+with+her+coworker.

Bel Wilcoxen

Christine Textor smiles as she cooks with her coworker.

Scout Molder, Editor-in-Chief

According to kitchen manager Jeri Vogrin, the lunch staff is responsible for serving over 300 school lunches every day. Despite the fact that they are feeding over half of the student body on a daily basis, the lunch staff and the motivation behind their hard work is unknown by the majority of students.

The job is more difficult than it looks, according to Vogrin.

“It’s a lot of work. It’s one of those jobs that, until you do it, you don’t know what all it entails,” she said.

Each lunch period, the staff has to estimate how many students will be eating school lunch and then prepare enough lunches so that students at any place in the line will receive warm food. Vogrin said this can be difficult and stressful, because not all students get in line immediately.

This raises the question of why the staff cares so much in the first place. Vogrin said that for her and the rest of the staff, the reward comes from the enjoyment they get serving others.  

“We’re not just grumpy lunch ladies. We really do care to make sure we serve a nutritious meal. We’re doing it for the kids,” said Vogrin.  

Overall, it’s most important to Vogrin and her coworkers that students are getting the food they need every day.

“Make sure the kids know we’re trying our hardest to make sure they get a good, nutritious meal. Unfortunately, sometimes it’s the only hot meal some kids get,” she said. “You kids are important.”