How long have you been working here at NASH? 

It’s a long story, actually. I have three kids, grown up now, and they all went to NA. When my youngest started kindergarten, I decided I wanted to work in the school district when my kids were in school, so I came here in 1993 and worked as a sub for ten years. I then got a job somewhere else, but I came back in 2014, so I have been back for about 3 years now. I work the deli line and prepare all the stuff for the sandwiches, like the onions, green peppers, lunch meat, and cheese. I then either serve on that line or work the cash register up front. I start around 7:45 and go home around 2:00 pm.

What did you do before you became a sub?

I went to college for medical technology and I worked in a lab for 38 years. I went into subbing as a part-time job because I got to choose my own hours, but when the lab closed I decided to go into subbing full time. I loved the high school, so I decided to stay here.

Have you noticed any significant changes to the lunch menus over the years?

Oh yeah. The kitchen has changed a lot. We used to have long lines where the kids would stand with their trays and pick up their food and there would be a cash register at the end of the line. They didn’t have the little stations that they do now for all of you. We had the two main entree picks and then a sandwich line and then a salad bar, so not as much variety. The food has definitely gotten healthier. When I was here in the 90’s, you could buy anything — soda, candy, all that stuff. That’s all gone, which is a good thing, but I like that you can still get your chips and your ice cream, if you choose to.

Have you ever been abroad? Do you have a place you want to visit on your bucket list?

I haven’t been to Europe or anywhere like that. The farthest I have been is probably the Caribbean. I have been on a lot of cruises down there and taken vacations on the islands. My favorite island is probably the Dominican Republic. But I’ve never crossed the Atlantic. I would really love to go to Rome. That is probably the top item on my bucket list.

What do you like to do outside of school?

I belong to LA Fitness and I really like to swim. I am very active with my church. I spend a lot of time with my Bible group. Now that my kids are grown up, I live at home with my cat, Thumper. When I got him as a kitten, he was born with a birth defect, where one of his paws was twisted. His leg kept hitting things and getting infected, so the veterinarian recommended that we have it amputated, but now he runs and plays and jumps around, so it doesn’t seem to bother him much any more. I just had to put down my 18-year-old cat, and he and Thumper were close, so I am thinking about going down to Animal Friends this weekend and getting him another buddy, so we’ll see! I also love watching TV shows that make me laugh. I would have to say that Big Bang Theory is my favorite, hands down, so that is definitely something that I look forward to outside of school.

So what do your kids do for a living?

My daughter is the oldest, and she is a marriage and family therapist. She got her Master’s degree at UConn, and she works up in upstate New York near the Finger Lakes. My son is a physical therapist in Erie, and my other son has a B.S. degree in Physics and does research at a naval base in southern Maryland. He and his wife both majored in Physics, and they are both working on base down there.

What is something that no one knows about you?

I was a swimmer in high school, more of a diver actually. I still like to swim at LA Fitness, as I’ve said, and I love doing those aquatic exercises there and just getting in the water again.