As Principal Jason Schrock analogizes, every individual staff member at Howell High School plays their own important role, like an ensemble. They all play an instrument to their own expertise, creating a melody altogether, sometimes the most important instruments are the ones that get lost in the music. Those instruments are the Food Service workers. These “Women Behind the Hairnets” carry the melody of Howell High School by providing lunches, smiles, and overall brightening up your day. 

“Every staff member is important because you put it all together that creates the Howell High School community,” Schrock says.

The cafeteria workers jumped into action and helped others just recently. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they supplied many students with both breakfast and lunch. 

“Beginning in March 2020, federal pandemic regulatory waivers allowed schools to offer free meals to all children without an application,” School Nutrition Association says.

Through worker shortages, a pandemic, and everyday struggles, the lunch ladies have persevered. The lunch ladies not only provide food but some think they provide a safe and loving environment that most students value.

“I think the most rewarding part is the kids, you’ll never know who you’ll impact.” Food Service Worker Michelle Byl says. 

These ladies can be considered as one of the most underrated staff. They try to provide kindness, passion, and love to each other and the students.

“You build a bond with them. You connect with them,” the cafeteria ladies says collectively. 

Our cafeteria ladies always enjoy a simple “Hello” from their students that just brightens up their day. 

“They bring happiness to my day, they make me smile, they make me laugh, they are the reason I come into work everyday,” Byl says. 

It’s building the relationships during their working lunch periods that make them excited to work. The highlight of their days is walking into the cafeteria and seeing their amazing coworkers. They always go above and beyond, have great work ethic, and are service minded. 

“I wish there was a way that people could recognize how much work they put in. They are the only cars to beat me here and I roll in at 5:30 in the morning,” Schrock says. 

They have all built friendships with each other that last a lifetime and all become family. These ladies love just about everything to do with their job, including holidays and summers off, and seeing some of their favorite students in the grocery store on a Sunday evening. 

As most of us know, these ladies have a new Instagram account that has started this year.  

“We had so many new things coming up this year for lunch options, we figured out a way of promoting our new lunch lines,” Food Service Worker Carrie Green says. 

All the cafeteria workers have a lunch line that changes almost every single day and decided that, since students are on their phones so much, this was the best idea to get the word out. Follow their account, “@hhs_kitchen_queens,” for some updates about their lunch lines for the week. 

These women would love to give a special shoutout to their food service supervisor, Christine Parkhurst, who they refer to as “hardworking, helpful, and amazing.” Christine enjoys the more laid back school environment 

“Initially, when I started college, I wanted to go into nursing but I quickly found out I didn’t like working in a hospital setting and instead I liked just working in food service. So I started off working for food service in a hospital setting and then I tried an internship within a school district, doing their food service, and ultimately fell in love with that,” Christine Parkurst says. 

This is Christine’s first year at Howell High School. The lunch ladies have welcomed the new addition to their team. 

“I think it’s a good working, friendly relationship. I like to keep it fairly professional, but I also like, ask them questions about their family life and deeply care about them and their well being and their happiness and stuff too,” Parkhurst says. 

Our Cafeteria Queens work hard for not only themselves, but for all the students and staff in Howell High School.

“And at the end of the day, when I walk out the door. It’s not about what I have accomplished, it’s about who I have lifted up, who I have made smile, or what I have given back. Because we really don’t know who we have impacted or who had impacted me.” Byl says. 

 Next time Howell High School students step into their favorite lunch line they should recognize the women behind the hairnets. 

“Not all superheros wear capes, they are called Lunch Ladies,” Byl says.