As a food service professional with 25 years of experience, Kathleen Schneider understands how vital nutrition is to education.

“Nutrition is extremely important, especially for young people who are still growing,” said Schneider, Vista Ridge High School’s nutrition services manager. “We’re not just feeding their bodies; we’re also feeding their minds. That’s why we make sure we don’t feed them junk here.”

Schneider’s proactive approach to nutrition has earned her recognition as one of the top professionals in her field. The School Nutrition Association, a national nonprofit, recently named her the Mountain Plains region’s Manager of the Year.

Schneider, who has run Vista Ridge’s cafeteria since the school opened in 2008, said she was floored when she was told about the award.

“When I got the call from the (School Nutrition Association) I thought, ‘Really? Me?’” she said. “I didn’t even know I had been nominated, and I’m still not quite sure why they picked me. But it’s an honor, and very humbling.”

Driven by a passion for helping students maximize their potential, Schneider has worked in high school nutrition service for more than two decades. She started at Sand Creek High School in 1999 before taking on a managerial role at Vista Ridge nearly 16 years ago.

“I’ve seen a lot of staff come and go,” she said. “And I’ve seen a lot of changes — most of them for the better.”

The one constant at Vista Ridge has been Schneider, who has worked to make the cafeteria a comfortable, welcoming space for the thousands of students who have come through over the years.

“It’s important for kids to feel like they’re welcome here,” she said. “I hope I’ve been able to do that.”

“Kathleen fosters a positive cafeteria environment by prioritizing the well-being of students and the professional growth of her kitchen staff,” said School Nutrition Association president Chris Derico, “She creates a supportive workplace culture where kitchen staff feel valued, motivated and empowered to deliver their best.”

Schneider’s impact has reached far beyond the Vista Ridge cafeteria, SNA officials said. She has collaborated with the school’s transition program to help special needs students learn life and job skills, prepare them for post-school employment and gain confidence in their abilities. She has worked with Vista Ridge’s business department to provide students with hands-on experience in operating a coffee cart business, and has directed a culinary internship program.

“I’m glad I’ve been able to do some good here,” she said. “But I wouldn’t have been able to do any of it without my staff. They’re some of the best people in the world.”

The SNA regional Manager of the Year award, Schneider said, is a “really nice” way to wrap up a career; she is retiring at the end of the school year.

“I decided it was time for me to step down and let someone else take over,” she said.

When August rolls around, and the new academic year begins, Schneider knows she’ll have to resist 25 years of muscle memory.

“I know I’ll be thinking, ‘Dang it, I should be there!’” she said. “I’m going to miss being there a 5 a.m., making sure everything is ready to start the day. I know it’s time to retire, though.

“But who knows? I might stop in and say hi once in a while.”