Jennifer Dickson stands behind the register every school day striking up conversation with students and cracking jokes. 

Dickson started as a substitute in the district helping out in several school kitchens before eventually Bellevue West called and she’s been with us ever since.

“When Bellevue West came up, I went ahead and applied for it,” Dickson said.

Managing time can be a difficult task overall. The cafeteria staff agrees–getting things they want done for the students in a timely manner is not always easy.

“The food sources or things we want to serve sometimes aren’t available, and just trying to get our tasks done on time can be difficult,” Dickson said. 

The cafeteria staff takes safety and the cleaning process very seriously. They put hard work into cleaning the surfaces and dishes by hand, due to not having a dishwasher

Dicksons pet peeves are when students try to act sneaky by taking their hoodies into the snack shop. Same thing when students try to origami their dollar bills. 

Dickson said she encounters kids with attitude everyday, yet despite the attitude she receives, she still continues on with a positive demeanor.

Kitchen manager Kellie Hooker-Picht said Dickson is a great fit as a cafeteria worker.

“She’s great with the kids and her coworkers,’’ Hooker-Picht said. “She’s very bubbly, very easy to get along with.”

Hooker-Picht said that even when things can get stressful in the kitchen, Dickson brings so much to the cafeteria staff. 

“She’s really a good team player, and honestly she’d do anything for anybody,” Hooker-Picht said.

Dickson said she enjoys her job and said she loves this local community.

“It’s you guys that make my day,”  Dickson said. “There’s kids I want to see graduate even though they’re a pain. I just love my job.”