Cinco de Mayo is fun and all, but we’re even more excited about another May 5th celebration. Along with educators across the country, Canyons School District is happily observing National Lunch Hero Day.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the fantastic and hard-working nutrition workers at our schools and District office.

Here’s a National Lunch Hero Day fun fact: As of April 30, 2023, Canyons District nutrition employees have served 2,202,890 lunches and 467,445 breakfasts districtwide. Canyons has about 275 employees in the department who work in 42 kitchens. Another reason they deserve extra kudos: The department normally has about 300 employees, so it is a bit short-staffed.

The attitude and work ethic displayed by two Canyons retirees shows the level of dedication and love the District’s nutrition workers put into their jobs.

Debbie Nook, who worked a decade in Canyons kitchens and most recently as Sandy Elementary’s nutrition manager, appreciates the relationships she had with kids.

Nook sang, played music, and danced with them on holidays. It warmed her heart returning to Sandy recently. Kids ran into the hall and greeted her, “Miss Debbie! Miss Debbie!” Her students’ favorite meal was pizza. More kids would get vegetables on pizza days so they could get ranch dressing for dipping purposes.

Nook liked how the District orders the food, but allows them to make things like mac and cheese from scratch. Working with kids was always an adventure and good for laughs, including when she was trying to teach a student about manners.

“I said, ‘Well, what’s the magic word?’” she recalled. “A little kid behind him said, ‘Abracadabra!’”

Serving and feeding others is second nature to Marsha Summers, who thoroughly loved working in the Hillcrest cafeteria for the past 29 years.

“I miss working,” she said. “It was fun. I enjoyed the children.”

Although it always touched her heart when they’d thank her for lunch, she was tickled pink by the occasional notes they’d write to her.

“They’re the cutest kids,” she said. “I just loved them. We always tried to serve them a nice, nutritious meal.”

She knew they especially liked the days that included pizza, spicy chicken, nuggets, and orange chicken.

Thanks again to our Canyons District Lunch Heroes!