OGDEN, Utah — Keeping kids happy, healthy and fed at schools is an important job, and one Ogden School District employee is being recognized for her work in doing just that.
Kirstine Sonner is at the heart of the cafeteria at Polk Elementary School in Ogden.
"They said they needed subs in the cafeteria, so I started subbing, and I just fell in love with it and I’ve just stayed,” said Sonner.
That was 32 years ago.
"That’s another fun thing when you see the older kids and they're like, 'oh, you were my lunch lady,' and I’m like, yes, I was."
Sonner helps make sure that all the kids are fed and taken care of.
"For breakfast, we're feeding a little over 300, and for lunch, we've been bouncing between 400 and 420,” explained Sonner.
She works with her team to try to help kids get excited about nutritious food.
"When [students] load up on their fruits and veggies, that makes me happy,” she shared.
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But Sonner also sees an unfortunate side when account balances are low.
"It breaks my heart because I want to make sure they're getting fed,” added Sonner.
She sees kids worried, not knowing if they have enough to pay for the next meal.
"They should just be able to come to school, and enjoy being here, and eating, and not worry about ‘do I have enough money to eat my lunch today?’"
As a mom and second-grade teacher, Dani Ballantyne knows how important it is for kids to be well fed.
"If they don’t eat or rest enough, you can really tell they’re a little bit more lethargic, they’re just kind of a little more sluggish,” said Ballantyne. “Their brains are not quite ready to learn."
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"That’s one of the things that you assume all kids have, and they just really don’t,” said Ballantyne. “And even if they do, some of the lunches I’ll see are candy and soda, and we really need to get that nutrition in them, and that is what is fueling them to do their best and to learn and to grow the right way."
Sonner can’t make every meal for every student, but when those kids are in the building, she will make sure they've got a full plate and a daily dose of smiles, too.
"This is a good job to have,” said Sonner. “It’s fun, and it’s very rewarding."
For her work, the district also recognized Sonner as the child nutrition hero of the month. It's a job that has her whole heart.
“I want them to feel happy and full, and excited to come back the next day."
