• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Subscribe
Program Guide
Watch Live

CCX Media

Skip NavigationMenu
  • News
    • Close
        • CCX News
          • CCX News Home
          • News Stories
            • CCX Daily Newcast
          • CCX News Special Reports
          • CCX Media Schools
        • Feature Segments

          • Business Matters
          • School Spotlight
          • Standout Student
          • Weekend Showcase
          • Newsmakers
        • News Tip

          Send us a story idea or news tip!
          Facebook Instagram Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
        • Apple News
    • Close
  • Sports
    • Close
        • CCX Sports
          • CCX Sports Home
          • Sports Tips
          • Hall of Fame
          • Upcoming Event Coverage
          • Play of the Week
        • Sports Coverage

          Adapted SportsAdditional SportsBaseballBasketballFootball
          GymnasticsHockeyLacrosseSoccerSoftball
          Swimming & DivingTennisTrack & FieldVolleyballWrestling
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
          Shop/Order
    • Close
  • Cities
    • Close
        • CCX Cities
          • CCX Cities Home
          • The Connection
          • In The Community
          • Our Town’s Story
          • Community Resources
          • CCX Media Schools
          • City Meetings
        • Your City

          Brooklyn Center Local News and Events
          Brooklyn Park MN Local News and Events
          Crystal
          Golden Valley
          Maple Grove
          New Hope
          Osseo
          Plymouth
          Robbinsdale
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Create
    • Close
        • CCX Create
          • CCX Create Home
          • Channels
          • Resources
          • Meet The Create Team
          • CCX Create Virtual Tour
        • Get Creative

          • Make Your Own Show
          • Free Classes
          • Contact Us
          • Polka Spotlight
          • Diversity Minute
        • RueShare

          • Member Login
          • Member Guide
        • Social Media

          Facebook Twitter Instagram
          Watch Live
          CCX1 | CCX2 | CCX3
    • Close
  • Subscribe
  • Program guide
  • Watch Live

Wayzata Students Help Fill Cafeteria Staffing Void

6:08 PM | Monday, May 9, 2022

On any given day, roughly 2,800 students make their way to the Wayzata High School cafeteria for lunch.

“So you can imagine, when they get here, they’re hungry, they’re standing in line, they want their food,” said Deborah Hough, the Wayzata Cafés site coordinator.

But before we get to the point of when the students line up for food, there’s a team of unsung heroes who put in the hard work of getting all the food and beverages prepped in the hours before lunchtime hits.

“It makes me feel good to know that I’m helping out,” said Angel Gathumbi, a senior at Wayzata High School in Plymouth. “The lunch ladies do so much for us.”

Gathumbi is one of 15 students who signed on to help fill a glaring need when the cafeteria was hit hard by staffing shortages earlier in the year.

“No one was applying at the time, so we were extremely short,” said Heather Van Krevelen, the Wayzata Cafés deli supervisor. “So we couldn’t even make all the stuff that we wanted to make, just because we didn’t have the staff for it.”

wayzata cafeteria

Wayzata senior Angel Gathumbi stocked milk cartons in the school cafeteria.

Gauging student interest

For a while, school staff members helped to fill those gaps, but then they decided to see if students had any interest.

“Originally I was a little concerned that students wouldn’t want to serve their peers, or be in that type of role,” said Tyler Shepard, Wayzata’s associate principal. “But it picked up in popularity, I think, cause they’re paid a decent wage and they’re earning credit at the same time.”

Officially, the 15 student cafeteria employees are part of a work experience class. They earn a credit that gets them closer to graduation, while also earning nearly $17 an hour.

“It was a great way to make extra money,” Gathumbi said. “I would already be at school and I didn’t have a second block, and I knew that they were super short staffed, especially with COVID.”

For some of the students, there was a bit of a learning curve because they didn’t have prior work experience. But the seasoned staff still appreciated the help.

“I think it’s also freshened up the attitude of some of our existing employees because they have to put themselves in their shoes, so it’s been fun,” said Hough.

A fun experience that will likely continue for the foreseeable future.

“It’s a very big job, but that’s okay,” Hough said. “We’re here to feed the kids.”

Delane Cleveland, reporting
Wayzata High School

Plymouth

School Spotlight

Related Stories

Greenwood Elementary Students Prepare for First 5K Run:  At Greenwood Elementary in Plymouth, about 40… Read More
FAIR School Crystal Designs Outdoor Learning Space:  FAIR School Crystal students got to design an… Read More
Lawmakers Still at Odds Over Public Safety Solutions:  With the legislative session winding down at… Read More
Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion School Celebrates 35 Years:  In kindergarten, nothing quite gets the… Read More
Plymouth Celebrates ‘Pie Day’:  The city of Plymouth held its annual Pie Day fundraiser in person… Read More
Wayzata Student Creates ‘Sparkway Learning’ to Share Knowledge:  Pratishtha Praveen says she got… Read More

Footer

NAVIGATE

  • CCX Media
  • NEWS
  • SPORTS
  • CITIES
  • CREATE
  • Job Opportunities
  • Meet the CCX Media Team
  • ABOUT CCX MEDIA
  • Annual Programming Reports
  • CABLE COMMISSION

SUBSCRIBE

Get email updates for daily story previews. “Week in Review” video links, and programming previews.

Subscribe Today

CONNECT

HAVE A NEWS TIP? CALL OUR TIPLINE AT:  763-533-1710
Send us story ideas and comments!
Get in touch with us
               
 NEWS   SPORTS
 SHOP/ORDER

LOCATION

CCX Media
6900 Winnetka Avenue North
Brooklyn Park, MN 55428

Main Phone:  763-533-8196

CCX Media serves the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis, Minnesota, including Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo, Plymouth and Robbinsdale.
Copyright © 2022 CCXMedia | All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Statement
Web Design and Development by CEL Marketing PR Design and BizzyWeb | Log in