Tammy Batson sits in her office with a warm-hearted smile upon her face as she and her assistant eagerly await the morning lunch rush. The two ladies instantly light up the room as they talk about their passion for their profession.

“Ten o’clock is my favorite part of the day,” Batson said; “We enjoy pleasing the students and serving as many as possible each and every day.”

Just who is Batson?  As cafeteria manager, she is one of the many faces in the lunch room. Batson took a few moments to speak about her position.

Q:  How long have you been working in the foodservice industry?

A:  I’ve been working in food service since 1978, so about 35 years. I initially started off working in long-term care. Then I came to Wayne Township about nine years ago.

Q:  What is an average work day like for you?

A: Whew. (Laughs) We’re extremely busy every single day. We’re always focused on our job and our goal is to feed as many as possible. We serve over 2,000 lunches every school day; and that number has been consistent for a while.

Q  Working with high school students can be seen as a challenge for some, would you say that your job is challenging? If so, how do you view them?

A: Yes, we face challenges every single day. However, we welcome those challenges and even if we can please just one student, it makes it all worthwhile.

Q:  What are the reactions you receive from students?

A: A lot of students greet us back and we receive a lot of love from them. Especially when school started, we received reactions like ‘There’s our lunch ladies!’ I believe students missed their lunch ladies and the food during the summer (Chuckles).

Q:  What is your least favorite part of the day, and why?

A:  My least favorite part of the day is when I see those massive freight trucks pull up to the loading dock. Putting away stock on shelves definitely has to be my least favorite part of the day. It’s very tiresome.

Q:  Do you have any advice for students who are thinking about pursuing a career in food service?

A: It’s a very pleasing job and it is very satisfying. My advice for students right now is to focus on their education and go as far as you can go. Even though school may seem like a long time, it’s definitely not as long as you think; it will fly by.