The national, non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) has named Amy Uecker, Child Nutrition Manager at West Clermont High School in the West Clermont School District, Ohio, the Mideast regional Manager of the Year. The award recognizes the dedication, ingenuity and compassion shown by SNA members who have excelled in keeping students fed during the pandemic.
Amy Uecker is described as innovative and a versatile member of the school nutrition team. At the height of supply chain shortages, she continued to create new menu items, even when dealing with staff shortages at the same time. Uecker put the students’ needs and requests first, assuring supervisors that her staff could handle the workload and innovate menu items even under difficult circumstances.
As manager at the high school, Uecker feels it is important to cross-train staff to ensure the cafeteria runs smoothly and efficiently in her absence. Uecker uses professional development and remote learning days to conduct training on topics from food safety to knife skills. Due to her effectiveness as a trainer and leader, she is often asked to train new managers working in other district schools.
As a member of the School Nutrition Association of Ohio (SNA of Ohio), Amy Uecker has attended multiple state conferences. She enjoys sharing with staff the new and fresh ideas she learns, some of which have been incorporated into district-wide practices.
Uecker also assists with catering events throughout the district, including Kindergarten Night for prospective kindergarten students and families to see what the district offers. For the district’s Parent Education Series, Uecker offers scratch-made meals including spaghetti with a locally made sauce and fresh salad with locally grown lettuce. These evenings are a way the district showcases its Farm to School program. Under Amy Uecker’s guidance, the school offers fresh local vegetables including cucumbers, butternut squash and lettuce. She also assists with developing a summer education program focused on nutrition and preparing healthy meals.
“Amy Uecker is dedicated to educating herself and furthering professional development for her team to the benefit of her students. She is a tremendous asset to the school community and is deserving of this recognition,” said SNA President Beth Wallace, MBA, SNS.
Amy Uecker sees great value in her School Nutrition Association membership. She invites co-workers to attend the SNA of Ohio annual conference with her so they can share information on new products and best practices with the team. Uecker is consistently encouraging her staff to continue to learn.
The Manager of the Year Award is given in honor of Louise Sublette, a leader in school nutrition in her state and in the national School Nutrition Association. During her 43 years in the profession, Sublette worked in many areas of foodservice—public schools, colleges, hospitals and elderly feeding programs. Sublette 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.
Uecker was announced as the Mideast regional Manager of the Year during a School Lunch Hero Day (SLHD) online awards ceremony on May 2. The accomplishments of Uecker and all of this year’s SNA award winners will also be recognized in a special publication and promoted in SNA’s annual SLHD social media campaign on Facebook.com/TrayTalk and TrayTalk.org.