May 11, 2020
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing more than 55,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. For more information on school meals, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/SchoolMeals
SNA Announces National Award
Winners for School Lunch Hero Day
4/30/2020
ARLINGTON, VA – In celebration of School Lunch Hero Day (Friday,
May 1), the non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) recognizes the
widespread efforts of school nutrition professionals across the country to
ensure needy students have access to healthy meals during COVID-19 school
closures. Among those frontline heroes, SNA is recognizing an exceptional school
nutrition director, manager and employee as winners of the Association's annual
national award program. SNA’s national and regional award winners, along with
the thousands of school nutrition professionals serving students through the
pandemic, exemplify what it means to be a school lunch hero in 2020.
While in-school celebrations
will not take place this year due to school closures, nothing will stop
students and communities from celebrating school nutrition professionals on May
1. SNA continues to work with Jarrett J. Krosoczka, author and illustrator of
the popular LUNCH LADY graphic novel series, and Random House Children’s Books,
to celebrate America’s school nutrition professionals through School Lunch
Hero Day.
“We are seeing heroic and
selfless acts of school nutrition professionals across the country as they
continue to feed our children with compassion during this time of great need,”
said SNA President Gay Anderson, SNS. “We are proud to recognize outstanding
award winners each year, but this year it's important to celebrate the
phenomenal efforts of all of our members on the frontlines and behind the
scenes feeding students."
Employees, managers and
directors were nominated for awards at the state level, and those winners were
considered for awards within seven regions across the country. Of those
regional winners, the following were selected as SNA’s 2020 national award
recipients based on their amazing efforts:
Martha Pellegrino from
Blackstone Valley Tech (BVT) in Blackstone Valley Technical Regional School
District, MA,has earned the Employee of the Year. Pellegrino prioritizes food safety
and the health of her students, providing them with nutrition counseling and
serving as a liaison for parents, nurses, counselors and food service staff to
accommodate students’ dietary needs. She promotes physical and nutrition
education, working with students to teach them how to prepare healthy meals and
snacks. She also guides students in their food choices, using daily lunch menus
to explain nutrient analysis, and seeks their menu suggestions to ensure meals
are well received. Pellegrino has created a wellness blog, providing a wealth
of information on nutrition, fitness and health related topics, and helps plan
and execute the annual Wellness Fair. She secured a grant to purchase
mobile food carts and helped initiate a breakfast cart program to increase
breakfast participation. Pellegrino oversees the daily activity of the school
food service program, from compliance to participation, and monitors regulatory
changes that can impact operations.
Heather Bladesfrom Spring Run
Elementary in Chesterfield County Public Schools, VA has earned the Manager of
the Year Award. Known
for creating an inviting and friendly atmosphere in the cafeteria, Blades
decorates her serving lines for seasons and special theme days. She goes out of
her way to show that each child is special, sharing one-on-one conversation and
eating lunch with a different student each day. Blades helped bring to life
exciting initiatives, including “Rev Your Bev,” infusing fresh fruit and herbs
in water to boost flavor without calories. She was instrumental in adding a
smoothie bike in the cafeteria, allowing students to blend their own smoothies
by powering the pedals. Blades helped teach physical education students
nutrition lessons on making healthy choices and building well-balanced lunch
trays. Blades helped lead the "Crunch Heard ‘Round the Commonwealth"
event in which students and staff were encouraged to simultaneously bite into
Virginia-grown apples. She coordinated with local apple growers and helped live
stream the event. Her positive energy, enthusiasm for her job and “everlasting
smile” are noticed by all who work in her kitchen.
Annette Hendrickx Derouin,
Director of Food and Nutrition Services for Willmar Public Schools, MN,
has earned the Director of the Year Award. With 24 years of school nutrition
experience, Derouin is entrusted as foodservice director for Willmar Public
Schools, New London-Spicer Public Schools, Montevideo Public Schools and the
Community Christian School. Derouin was one of the first directors in Minnesota
to offer a Farm to School program. She has worked with state and community
groups and local farmers to develop recipes, menus, procurement tools and
documents on how growers can interact with students and staff to show how local
food is produced. Derouin’s leadership and financial management skills have
grown fund balances exponentially in the districts she serves, allowing for
kitchen equipment updates, increased scratch cooking and menu expansion. A true
mentor, Derouin has expanded staff development opportunities and improved the
onboarding process. School nutrition professionals statewide look to her for
guidance and support on best practices. For 13 years, she’s conducted regional
workshops for upwards of 200 professionals. She has written manuals on
HACCP/School Food Safety, Farm to School and Standardized Recipes - shared with
more than 100 Minnesota schools.
SNA is also recognizing the
following regional award winners.
Employee of the Year:
Mideast: Amanda
Wimer, Lewis County Schools, West Virginia
Midwest: Rachel
Gueningsman, MACCRAY Public Schools, Minnesota Northeast: Martha
Pellegrino, Blackstone Valley Vocational Regional School District,
Massachusetts (National Winner)
Southeast: Brittany
Jones, Henry County Public Schools, Kentucky
Southwest:
Tammy Belaire, St. Martin Parish School Board, Louisiana
West: Karmen
Ivory, North Sanpete School District, Utah
Manager of the Year:
Mideast: Susan
Parsons, Raleigh County Schools, West Virginia Midwest:Michelle
Durenberger, Independent School District 196, Minnesota
Northeast: Jane
Rice, Foxborough Public Schools, Massachusetts
Northwest: Linda
Harrelson, Joint School District #171, Idaho Southeast: Heather
Blades, Chesterfield County Public Schools, Virginia (National
Winner)
Southwest: Christi
Brown, Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Colorado
West: Jeannette
Turpin, North Sanpete School District, Utah
Director of the Year:
Mideast: Jessica
Shelly, Cincinnati Public Schools, Ohio Midwest: Annette Hendrickx Derouin, Willmar
Public Schools, Minnesota (National Winner)
Northeast: Susan
Murray, Nauset Public Schools, Massachusetts
Northwest: Amy
Rouse, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, Alaska Southeast: Rhonda
Huffman, Roanoke County Public Schools, Virginia
Southwest: Terri
Jo Markham, Chanute Public Schools, Kansas
West: Ginger
Jones, Deming Public Schools, New Mexico