EVENT RECAPS
Building our Family one Industry Summit at a time!
BY ALEISE BARRON SCHOOL NUTRITION SPECIALIST WARRICK COUNTY SCHOOL CORPORATION
I started my journey to become a Registered Dietitian about 4 years ago when I went back for my second bachelor’s degree. I graduated in May of 2022 from the University of Southern Indiana with a bachelor’s in Nutrition and Dietetics, and completed my Dietetic internship in May of 2023 with Cedar Crest College. I have always had a passion for nutrition and helping other, and I feel like I have landed where I am meant to be. I became extremely fortunate and was recommended for a position with the Warrick County School system right after my D.I. program. Since I have been here, I have dived headfirst into the world of school nutrition and could not have a better mentor, boss, and leader to learn from with Shenae Rowe. I was extremely excited when she told me about the conferences I would be attending, and all the people I would meet. This year was my first time at the School Nutrition Industry Summit. From the moment I walked in to the moment I left, I felt like family. Everyone I met was so kind, and helpful. The first morning started off with an amazing first speaker, Chef Vanessa Hayes. She inspired us with a talk on having grit, grind and gratitude. This hit home for me, as the past four years of getting though everything that led me here has been nothing short of all three of these things. I felt like within the first day’s sessions I learned so much from not only the speakers but my fellow nutrition leaders, and industry partners attending the summit. I loved learning about how to simplify and create a better production record, as this is a brand new concept for me. Coming into this career, my biggest goal is to use my voice and position to be able to make a change for these children. Learning about the legislation involved in school nutrition and what the current issues of today are, fueled my drive to get involved in any way I can. The last session I attended that day was the session with the RBB food truck, and that was amazing! I have always loved the concept of bridging the food security gap within our neighborhoods, and seeing that its possible to do was encouraging! To finish off this day we celebrated with an 80’s prom night! It was so nice to just let loose with colleagues, and have a little fun after a busy day. The second day of this summit was no different than the first day. I learned so much, but also met more of our industry partners, and made some wonderful connections during the industry fair. The first session with IDOE, and the USDA was very informative, and was nice to hear things from their prospective, as well as give us a chance to as some questions. I thought the second session with the idea sharing was a great way to get to know some of our neighboring districts and not only the struggles we share, but also a great chance to learn from each other’s successes. To finish off the day we were taught a great deal about the food buying guide. As an incoming Nutrition specialist, and someone who will be working on menus, and purchases, this was extremely helpful to me. It will be a tool I will be able to utilize when creating my recipes and giving instruction with each one. Overall, I felt like this summit not only provided me with a great understanding of some of the main issues, topics, and skills needed for success within this field, but it left me feeling like I was part of the family. I can’t wait to see what the future hold within this crazy, exciting, and meaningful life of School Nutrition!
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