School cafeteria staff are an essential part of making the school day tolerable. For some, the lunch period is the only time of day where they get to socialize, have fun, and get a break from what seems like endless lectures and note-taking. For others, the lunch period is the only time of day where they are able to eat. Without cafeteria staff, none of this would be possible.

An informal poll conducted on Instagram showed that 29% of students at FVHS buy their lunch from the cafeteria. That being said, 29% of students would be affected if there were no cafeteria staff. Why wouldn’t there be cafeteria staff, you ask? At the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020, almost all school cafeteria staff lost their jobs because of the lockdown, some temporarily, and some permanently. Along with the pandemic causing job loss, many cafeteria workers find themselves pursuing other careers for higher pay. For these reasons, it’s incredibly important that we take the time to appreciate all the things that cafeteria workers do to improve our school day.

“Our cafeteria staff are important, because not only do they prepare food for us, they make sure the lunchroom environment is stable and safe,” said sophomore Gita Chartier.

The Fuquay Varina High School cafeteria workers are not only underappreciated, but not respected enough for their hard work. Not just the staff of FVHS, but workers everywhere, do so much for school systems across the country. So, next time you go through the lunch line and type your number in that keypad, thank the cafeteria worker behind the register.