HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — They serve up students day in and day out: our school nutrition service workers. Right now, the Hillsborough County School district is looking to fill dozens of those jobs ASAP.
Before students sit down for lunch at Steinbrenner High School, Angel Rosario is behind the scenes helping sort, prep, and finalize what ends up on their trays.
"Getting a dream job is, I am happy about it," said Rosario.
Before landing that dream job, Rosario was an ESE student who graduated this past May. School leaders said he had a chance to speak with former Superintendent Addison Davis about working with student nutrition services after graduation.
That dream became a reality, and he now works with the team at Steinbrenner.
“He told me that ever since I started here, he said I want to work in the kitchen, I want to get a job here, I want to get a job here, and I was like okay if we’ve got a position for you, we’ll get it," said Rickey Richardson, the Chef Manager at Steinbrenner High School.
Hillsborough County Schools is in need of people to fill those roles. The district said they have about 100 vacancies for student nutrition services jobs.
"The need for more people is kind of urgent," said Richardson.
Right now, at Steinbrenner, they have two openings in nutrition services. It's a job Richardson said is hard work, but is also rewarding work.
"I like to see the expression on the kid's faces when they come in, and they're able to get a nice hot lunch," said Richardson. "I don't know what they have going on during the day and stuff, but that little time that we have with them here, you put a smile on their face."
Without fail, that's how people will find Rosario, ready to serve and always with a smile.
"I love to come to work every day," said Rosario.
