Celebrating School Food Champions
May 05, 2023 | By
Join us in celebrating the hard work and dedication of school food professionals far and wide on National School Lunch Hero Day!
Live Oak School District
Our team recently met with Kelsey Perusse at Live Oak School District. Kelsey serves as the Director of Child Nutrition Services at Live Oak School and is a powerhouse both in the kitchen and with her kids. She showed us two schools, where she does as much scratch cooking as possible for 1,000 students a day out of the 1,700 enrolled in the district.
Kelsey uses local fish to make fresh fish tacos, has partnerships with local farmers markets and works to have menu items that reflect the cultural diversity in her community. Her students participate in the kitchen to prepare food for other students. Live Oak School District also has a school garden. In the future, Kelsey hopes to get access to an additional plot of land for a large-scale district garden to provide copious amounts of fresh produce for her kitchens and students.
Live Oak School District
Our team recently met with Kelsey Perusse at Live Oak School District. Kelsey serves as the Director of Child Nutrition Services at Live Oak School and is a powerhouse both in the kitchen and with her kids. She showed us two schools, where she does as much scratch cooking as possible for 1,000 students a day out of the 1,700 enrolled in the district.
Kelsey uses local fish to make fresh fish tacos, has partnerships with local farmers markets and works to have menu items that reflect the cultural diversity in her community. Her students participate in the kitchen to prepare food for other students. Live Oak School District also has a school garden. In the future, Kelsey hopes to get access to an additional plot of land for a large-scale district garden to provide copious amounts of fresh produce for her kitchens and students.
Santa Cruz City Schools
During our team’s visit to Santa Cruz City Schools, they were given a tour of Harbor High School and Delaveaga Elementary School. At Harbor High, where the Central Kitchen is located, they witnessed the staff hard at work preparing food for the 7,000 students in the district. Amy Hedrick-Farr, the Director of Nutrition Services, showed them around the central kitchen, where staff prepare food daily to be sent out.
At Delaveaga Elementary, Amy gave our team a tour of the warehouse along with one of their many school gardens. She also highlighted the salad bars located at all of the elementary schools in the district, filled with delicious, locally procured fruits and vegetables.
Santa Cruz City Schools
During our team’s visit to Santa Cruz City Schools, they were given a tour of Harbor High School and Delaveaga Elementary School. At Harbor High, where the Central Kitchen is located, they witnessed the staff hard at work preparing food for the 7,000 students in the district. Amy Hedrick-Farr, the Director of Nutrition Services, showed them around the central kitchen, where staff prepare food daily to be sent out.
At Delaveaga Elementary, Amy gave our team a tour of the warehouse along with one of their many school gardens. She also highlighted the salad bars located at all of the elementary schools in the district, filled with delicious, locally procured fruits and vegetables.
Los Gatos Union School District
Our team also toured Los Gatos Union School District, home to approximately 2,600 elementary and middle school students. Child Nutrition Director Kerry Billner and her team of eight school food professionals are working hard to serve student speed-scratched school meals made with delicious, fresh ingredients. During the visit, Kerry described some of the flavorful items that appeared on the district’s menus including house salsas made with local tomatoes, pepitas from regional farms, and even Earth Week meals that highlight the contribution of local farmers.
Los Gatos Union School District
Our team also toured Los Gatos Union School District, home to approximately 2,600 elementary and middle school students. Child Nutrition Director Kerry Billner and her team of eight school food professionals are working hard to serve student speed-scratched school meals made with delicious, fresh ingredients. During the visit, Kerry described some of the flavorful items that appeared on the district’s menus including house salsas made with local tomatoes, pepitas from regional farms, and even Earth Week meals that highlight the contribution of local farmers.
Job Corps - San Jose Campus
During our team’s visit to the Job Corps San Jose Campus, they met with Deputy Center Director, Kirk Manfield. Job Corps is a program from the US Department of Labor with a mission to teach young individuals skills to become employable and independent. The program provides food, housing, and education for participants. Kirk gave our team a tour of the campus, dorms, and other facilities including their kitchens.
During this visit, we learned how CAF’s Healthy School Food Pathway program can partner with students in the Culinary program to provide work experience opportunities in school food. This program typically has 20-30 students twice a year and we would be delighted to have them explore a career path in healthy school food!
Job Corps - San Jose Campus
During our team’s visit to the Job Corps San Jose Campus, they met with Deputy Center Director, Kirk Manfield. Job Corps is a program from the US Department of Labor with a mission to teach young individuals skills to become employable and independent. The program provides food, housing, and education for participants. Kirk gave our team a tour of the campus, dorms, and other facilities including their kitchens.
During this visit, we learned how CAF’s Healthy School Food Pathway program can partner with students in the Culinary program to provide work experience opportunities in school food. This program typically has 20-30 students twice a year and we would be delighted to have them explore a career path in healthy school food!
