Area child nutrition workers gather for class
When you think about the people who contribute to a child’s education over the years, the lunchroom staff isn’t usually at the top of most people’s lists, but according to Tom Ohling, they should be.
Ohling, an Oregon native who has traveled the country for the past 20 years giving informative and motivational talks about nutrition, was in Russellville last week for the Northwest Alabama District Child Nutrition Program employees’ annual summer conference.
Ohling, who is known as the Nutrition Magician ®, said that it was his firm belief that child nutrition workers are an important part of the educational process.
“These school food service workers are making one of the most valuable contributions to our schools because a hungry child can’t learn,” Ohling said. “They creating a nurturing and warm environment where they serve nutritious food that helps these children stay focused.
“Just as teachers dedicate themselves to what they do, these workers have also dedicated themselves to the success of these kids.”
Russellville City Schools CNP Director Elaine Vaughn said that kind of positive reinforcement is exactly what she hoped the district’s CNP workers took away from their time at the workshops.
“We have these workshops so everyone can get together and encourage one another and learn from one another,” Vaughn said. “We pick up new ideas, interact with each other and talk about the ways we can make our jobs and what we provide for the students even better.”
Over 300 CNP workers from eight school districts, including Russellville City, Franklin County, Florence City, Tuscumbia City, Sheffield City, Muscle Shoals City, Lauderdale County and Colbert County, converged on the Russellville High School campus to participate in three different sessions:
Rhonda Lewis taught a session on team building and working together as a group; Jan Lansdell discussed stress management techniques; and Ohling’s class focused on motivation and making food fun.
“These workers have a skill set that is just as important as having math or English skills,” Ohling said. “In this class, I teach them how to use those skills to carve food and make it a fun and enjoyable experience, as well as an educational one. If children have fun while they eat, they’ll get more out of it.”
Ohling said CNP workers not only play a role in providing a child with nutritious things to eat but they are also responsible for teaching a child about nutrition.
“As the family dining table has become severely fragmented over the years, it doesn’t mean those values and lessons about eating healthy are just lost,” Ohling said. “Kids will still get this information from their school lunches and breakfasts so we need to make sure the school’s food service workers are prepared mentally and physical for that important task.”
