Hentges honored as 'School Lunch Hero'

SANDPOINT — A Lake Pend Oreille School District child nutrition manager has been recognized as not just a “School Lunch Hero,” but has received national honors as well.

Angela Hentges, the child nutrition coordinator at Washington Elementary School, was named 2023 Western Region Manager of the Year by the national nonprofit School Nutrition Association.

Presented by the national nonprofit School Nutrition Association, the award recognizes the dedication, ingenuity, and compassion shown by cafeteria managers who have excelled in providing high-quality, nutritious meals to students throughout the school year.

Given in honor of Louise Sublette, the Manager of the Year Award is meant to recognize a leader in school nutrition in both the state organization and the National School Nutrition Association.

During her 43 years in the profession, Sublette worked in many areas of food service — public schools, colleges, hospitals and elderly feeding programs. She dedicated her career to honoring school nutrition professionals and ensuring those who work in school cafeterias have access to professional development opportunities, empowering them to help their school meal programs flourish.

In a press release from SNA, Hentges is described as someone to take special care to get to know each student coming through the school meal lines, ensuring students feel important, included and welcome in the cafeteria. Caring for the success of the school nutrition program Hentges said she is always open to suggestions and ideas to improve nutrition services and cares about her students.

Taking pride in guiding newer managers and helping train new employees, Hentges said her job doesn’t end when the school bell rings and often extends her dedication to the community at large. Hentges often participates in outreach programs to highlight the benefits of nutritious school meals for students. She also has a focus on the positive impacts that the meal program provides to families and employees.

Volunteering to support the summer meals program, Hentges is also known to take daily walks around City Beach to hand out meal program flyers to residents marketing the program and encouraging students to receive nutritious meals in a safe environment.

SNA President Lori Adkins said the word most commonly used to describe Hentges and her dedication is “advocate” because her values ensure meals for LPOSD students.

As an area representative on the Idaho School Nutrition Association board, Hentges serves as a liaison between local, regional, and state members to keep them informed and involved including helping to fundraise, which sends other employees to various conferences and training. Further defining herself as an advocate Hentges has a large part in professional development and helped individualize training for specific job classifications and duties and for objectives, rules, and regulations that all school nutrition professionals must follow.

Hentges is a wonderful example of those serving in the district’s child nutrition program, Bobbie Coleman, LPOSD director of Child Nutrition, said.

"It has been a privilege to have Angie on my team of nutrition professionals for the last 12.5 years. Angie is dedicated to providing nutritious and delicious meals for all children,” Coleman said. “She has remained steadfast in her commitment to creating a welcoming, safe environment that engages students in nutrition education and finds ways to increase access to healthy meals that ensure students are nourished and ready to learn.

Coleman said she was elated to learn that Hentges had received the prestigious award and is beyond proud of the district’s entire child nutrition team.

“It is an honor to celebrate the positive impact Angie is making on students, day in and day out,” she said.