Every school has that person that makes the school day a little bit brighter. At Cardozo school, that person is Ms. Maria, one of the staff members who works in the cafeteria. Whether she is saying hello to students at lunch or assisting in keeping lunchtime periods running smoothly, Ms. Maria has become a familiar face that many students look forward to seeing each day.
For the past 16 years, Ms. Maria has become an essential part of the cafeteria. The students often identify her because of her friendly demeanor and attitude. “I love seeing the students every day,” she said. “Their smiles make my day better.”
Prior to becoming a lunch aide at the school, Ms. Maria had a different profession entirely. She was a doctor’s assistant, helping doctors in their medical practice. However, after the birth of her two daughters, she found that her work schedule did not allow her enough time to spend with her kids on the days when they were off from school.
“I wanted to be there more for my kids,” Ms. Maria shared. “When they have days off from school, I can’t always have days off from work…I said to myself, ‘I want a job where I can be with my kids more.’”
As a result of this, Ms. Maria made the decision to change the path of her career and begin working in schools. What started out as a need soon became a job that she enjoys.
“I did not expect to enjoy it as much as I do,” she said. “Working with the students is very special, I treat them like they are my own children.”
When the lunchtime crowd is rushing through the cafeteria, Ms. Maria has a very important job; she helps with the setup of the food and makes sure everything is running smoothly while hundreds of students come in and out. At times, it can be a challenge to make sure everything is organized during that rush.
“It definitely gets busy,” Ms. Maria said with a laugh. “Sometimes you have to run around and make sure everything is ready for the students.” Despite its challenges, she said that the joy of doing her job makes it all worth it.
“At the end of the day, seeing everyone get their food and leave happy makes me feel good,” Ms. Maria reflected. “That’s what makes the hard work worth it.”
As she has spent so many years working in the cafeteria, Ms. Maria has also thought about what she would do differently if she had the chance to change the way things are done in the school cafeteria. One thing that she would do differently is the addition of rice and beans into the cafeteria food.
“I think rice and beans would be a great option for the students,” she explained. “It’s something that would fill their tummies and something that I think a lot of kids would really like.” She would also like to add some desserts into the cafeteria menu because she thinks the kids would really like that.
As Ms. Maria has spent 16 years at Cardozo, she continues to make a positive impact on the students every day. Students say she is an extremely kind person who makes the cafeteria a much better place for everyone who eats there. To them, she is so much more than just a lunch aide; she is an integral part of the school community.
