In every school, twice every school day, students are offered nutritious meals cooked and/or assembled in the DMPS Central Nutrition Center and delivered to their buildings. It’s a huge operation in a normal year. Everyone knows the last 12 months have been anything but normal.

But in the toughest of times, heroes are forged and ES Nutrition has decreed that we have one in our midst: Food and Nutrition Director Amanda Miller.

ES Nutrition has declared Miller to be a School Lunch Hero for her undaunted dedication to the children of DMPS in the face of everything 2020 could throw at her. Miller credits her team for a successful year.

“I feel that this past year we have cemented our place in the community by serving meals through snow, wind, rain, a derecho, and 100-degree weather while students learned virtually, in-person, and in hybrid,” Miller said. “This team has been so flexible and willing to do anything and everything to feed the students of DMPS. The creative thinking and collaboration has been outstanding!”

Miller and her team served more than a million meals to families early on in the pandemic, planning, coordinating, and distributing them outside schools across the district. Every change to learning modality meant a reorganization of food and human resources. It might surprise you to know she’s loved every minute of it.

“This is super mushy, but I feel I was born to do this work.” Miller said. “I know I am here for a greater purpose than myself, and helping the greater good, doing work throughout this amazing school district. I love this place, and I love these people and these students. The students, their families and our employees continue to be the reason I get up every morning.”

Miller points us to the School Nutrition Association’s School Lunch Hero Day on Friday, May 7, and asks everyone to thank their school nutrition staff because every one of them is a hero. ES Nutrition shares her support for everyone who helps feed kids.

“School nutrition professionals are busy feeding America’s students by preparing healthy meals, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies, offering service with a smile and oh so much more! Now more than ever, these hardworking professionals are deserving of recognition!” the organization said in a news release.