It’s More Than Money. REDEFINED Lunch Lady
We’re In Awe
Fig Video
NxtGen Network Breanna Gustafson
My first day in a school kitchen is a day I will never forget. I reported to Littleton Elementary School for 5:30am and I was pleasantly surprised how happy everyone was to be at work that early.Music was playing, employees were laughing
may not have a hot meal on their table later that night. It’s making a difference in each student’s life as you fuel them with the nutrition they need to learn for the day. It’s the look of relief from parents when they pull up to curbside feeding
because in a time of such uncertainty school food is the one thing they can rely on to feed their family. It’s working through any obstacle including a global pandemic to make sure children in your community aren’t going hungry. The definition of a “lunch lady” or a “food dude” is complex, because there is so much that you do than simply feed students. There are so many unique things that each and every one of you do within your own
and they were perfecting the look of the serving lines before students arrived for breakfast. Between the slaps of the high-fives students would give to the kitchen manager (remember
Visit thefigapp.com to learn more!
Interview Video
10
when we could do that?) and the greeting of the students by their first name as theywould come in, it didn’t take me long to realize that school nutrition professionals are special people with strong bonds with their students. For most staff members it’s more than a job, and it’s more than just a paycheck. It’s more than money in their pocket. It’s the cold early and dark mornings when you’re up before the sun. It’s the late afternoons serving supper and snacks so your students go home with full bellies knowing that they
Hear from Tracie Smith, an Assistant Manager in Vidor Texas and Rhonda Cuthbert, a Cafeteria Manager in Fort Myers, FL as they speak out on what it truly means to be a “lunch lady.”
school districts that set you apart. There is not a one size fits all or a recipe for this job description. It’s hard to define. It’s more than a job. It’s more than money.
Get to know Ivati. Stefanie Giannini is a speaker, consultant, and content creator on a mission to inspire and cultivate every individual’s identity and development as a leader.
We hear you. We see you. We thank you.
Ivati youtube video
A natural storyteller, Breanna Gustafson is the Director of Marketing for NxtGen Network. Breanna kicked off her career in journalism as an Assignment Editor at WCVB-TV in Boston and worked in public television on Cape Cod. Her undergraduate degree is in communications, film, and media studies. In 2018, Breanna filled the first ever Marketing Supervisor position for Food & Nutrition at Lee County Schools in Florida. Breanna has her Master’s Degree in New Media & Marketing and enjoys telling the brand stories of school districts and manufacturers across the country.
In addition to the free content I provide on IVATI’s YouTube Channel, I offer several services that allow me to help you and your organization on a more personal and customized level. Believing in the power transformational leadership, I center the work we do together around your individual and/or organizational needs and goals. I’m not here to provide you a cookie-cutter program, presentation, or plan; I’m here to support you in transforming you and/or your organization through leadership development. Looking forward to working with you! - Stefanie
Breanna Gustafson NxtGen Network
Powered by FlippingBook