A Community-Building Experience
How many pounds of pasta does it take to serve the entire school their lunch? How many grilled cheese sandwiches are made every day on the grill? How long does it take to chop up all the vegetables that go into the "home cooking" dishes and salad bar every day?
While most of us rarely ponder these questions when we come into our fabulous Campus Center every day at lunchtime, for Sodexo's Paul Worley, these are the questions that keep him occupied all the time. For over a decade, Paul has been the Food Service Director at CA; our current Executive Chef is Christopher Kinney. The rest of the dedicated Sodexo staff has dozens of years of experience collectively. These hard-working men and women show up early every day and prepare the lunch for over 1000 people on campus.
One of my favorite "quiet" programs at CA is the on-campus service day that allows students to spend the day working with this incredible Food Service team. Ten years ago, then service learning director, David Colodny, and I wanted to help students understand the "behind-the-scenes" work that happens all around them every day. We created a plan for rotating groups of students through hands-on experiences with our food service and operations staffs. The program has evolved somewhat so that now Sophomore advisory groups take turns during the school year to go into the kitchen and help prepare and serve lunch for the entire school. The days are set up by our current service learning coordinator, Lisa Dean. Before their time in the kitchen, Mr. Worley gives them an overview of his program, noting the personal, business, and nutritional demands that he must meet every day. It's a complex operation and one that students might easily take for granted.
Typically, students emerge from this experience with a fresh appreciation for the hard work the staff does every single day. "I never knew how much time it took to get everything prepared" and "They are so incredibly organized" and "Everybody was so nice and helpful and really interested in teaching us how to do things" and "I can't believe they are on their feet that long" are just a few of the common remarks we hear from students. In the process of learning more about food service, students also deepen a connection they have already made with these outstanding people. They have a greater appreciation for the folks who serve us food every day.
I am deeply appreciative of Paul, Chris, and the great staff for taking the time to share their expertise with our students and for taking the opportunity to get to know our students better. This is one important way we can forge a stronger community which values the contributions of all.
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While most of us rarely ponder these questions when we come into our fabulous Campus Center every day at lunchtime, for Sodexo's Paul Worley, these are the questions that keep him occupied all the time. For over a decade, Paul has been the Food Service Director at CA; our current Executive Chef is Christopher Kinney. The rest of the dedicated Sodexo staff has dozens of years of experience collectively. These hard-working men and women show up early every day and prepare the lunch for over 1000 people on campus.
One of my favorite "quiet" programs at CA is the on-campus service day that allows students to spend the day working with this incredible Food Service team. Ten years ago, then service learning director, David Colodny, and I wanted to help students understand the "behind-the-scenes" work that happens all around them every day. We created a plan for rotating groups of students through hands-on experiences with our food service and operations staffs. The program has evolved somewhat so that now Sophomore advisory groups take turns during the school year to go into the kitchen and help prepare and serve lunch for the entire school. The days are set up by our current service learning coordinator, Lisa Dean. Before their time in the kitchen, Mr. Worley gives them an overview of his program, noting the personal, business, and nutritional demands that he must meet every day. It's a complex operation and one that students might easily take for granted.
Typically, students emerge from this experience with a fresh appreciation for the hard work the staff does every single day. "I never knew how much time it took to get everything prepared" and "They are so incredibly organized" and "Everybody was so nice and helpful and really interested in teaching us how to do things" and "I can't believe they are on their feet that long" are just a few of the common remarks we hear from students. In the process of learning more about food service, students also deepen a connection they have already made with these outstanding people. They have a greater appreciation for the folks who serve us food every day.
I am deeply appreciative of Paul, Chris, and the great staff for taking the time to share their expertise with our students and for taking the opportunity to get to know our students better. This is one important way we can forge a stronger community which values the contributions of all.
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