The School Nutrition Association has announced the 2024 national award winners. | Photo: Shutterstock
The School Nutrition Association (SNA) has announced the 2024 National School Nutrition Award winners ahead of School Lunch Hero Day on Friday 3 May.
Introducing this year’s award winners and their achievements.
Employee of the Year Award
shenna morrison
production manager assistant
north harford high school
Pylesville, Maryland
Mr. Morrison is known for his calm demeanor in the kitchen and his ability to help his team navigate stressful situations, such as when the kitchen lost power during Thanksgiving meal service.
Providing a menu that is interesting to students is a top priority for Morrison. Over the years, she has worked with her colleagues to introduce weekly themed menus. Our menu includes Italian cuisine, Asian cuisine, grilled food, and a deli line popular with students. Additionally, she invites students from the district’s food and consumer science classes to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the school’s kitchen and learn about meal preparation, cooking, and teamwork.
Manager of the Year Award
Vivian Crespo
cafeteria manager
Israel Putnam Elementary School
Meriden, Connecticut
School administrators said Crespo is known for his excellent customer service and knows every student at the school by name. She focuses on holidays and celebrations and strives to make the cafeteria and kitchen an inviting place. One of Crespo’s most notable contributions to the nutrition sector is her reinvention and expansion of summer meal programs.
She also works as a supervisor. Both FoodCorps and AmeriCorps service members work in her kitchen. Staff rely on Crespo to provide advice on both work and personal life. Her ability to connect with a variety of people has enabled the district to develop mutually beneficial relationships with a variety of organizations.
Coach of the Year Award
Eric Spann
nutrition services director
Sweetwater Union High School District
chula vista, california
Span has revamped its menu to include homemade meals made with higher quality ingredients. He provided training for his staff to learn knife skills, how to use the grill, cooking procedures, and other skills needed to prepare meals from scratch.
Parents and students are asked to take an active role in developing the nutrition program. Students can join advisory boards to share feedback and present ideas to the nutrition team. Meanwhile, parents can visit the cafeteria, sample the menu, and participate in the annual back-to-school night, which provides information about meals, benefits applications, and nutrition. Rules.
In addition, Span has also developed successful farm-to-school programs. He partnered with a high school’s engineering program to bring 400 chickens to campus. The nutrition team now uses fresh eggs in a variety of dishes, including protein boxes and pho noodle bowls. Surplus eggs are sold to teachers and community members to raise funds for farm-to-school programs. Recently, the program has expanded to include on-campus fruit trees that students and staff can harvest.
