Lisa Keller is the Kitchen Lead at Umatilla High School, and has been for over 20 years now. In this role, Keller has provided the opportunity for students to enter the Umatilla High School cafeteria and assist with a variety of tasks, depending on student ability. The opportunity to be a Teacher’s Assistant (TA) for the Nutrition Staff is only available during certain class periods.
When students first started helping in the cafeteria, the opportunity was only open to students who participated in Specialized Education Programs. Now, any student is able to ask about adding this opportunity into their schedule. Chase Goodheart, Luis Campos, Juan Aguilar are three of the four students that were selected for the opportunity this school year.
Chase has been a TA in the kitchen since last year, he is currently a sophomore. His favorite part about helping out in the kitchen is getting the food, and being able to support the kitchen staff. One happy memory Chase recalls is that the Nutrition Department gifted him a pair of basketball shoes.
“I wouldn’t say I learned that many new skills but I would say it helped me develop the skills that I already had.” - Chase Goodheart
Luis Campos is a senior. Campos mentions that he started taking this class at the beginning of the school year. One of his favorite moments as a TA has been making cupcakes, which fortunately were made available for anyone in the district looking for a sweet treat. When asked about what it’s like to work with Mrs. Keller, Campos replied “Mrs. Keller is always in a good mood, and willing to share a story or engage in conversation. I’ve never seen her mad or distracted with other things.”
Juan Aguilar is a senior as well. Aguilar is a bit newer to the class with only about two or three months of experience. When asked what he thought so far, he shared “It’s pretty fun and relaxing... We help to “prep” food, clean, and put stuff away.” In his opinion, the best meal to come out of the UHS Cafeteria is Haystacks.
Keller states that she has loved the student support, she beams that at this point in the year, the majority of the students have sufficient knowledge that they can direct themselves and get their tasks done. This opportunity is mutually beneficial as students develop practical skills and a work ethic that could help them in the workforce; and it also helps the nutrition staff balance other important duties, like documentation and placing food orders.
The Umatilla High School Nutrition Program is that the kitchen is responsible for more work and more meals than you may think. It’s a big responsibility, but helping with community meals is one additional way to engage and connect with the city at large. When asked if there was anything Keller thought folks should know about her work, she says, “it’s important to have patience with the students and offer them opportunities to connect as much as possible.”