Everyday between the hours of 11:20 a.m. and 1:35 p.m. hungry students rush in and out of the lunchrooms and everyday the lunchroom staff are there to greet them.

One of the most underrated, but important, jobs at any school is the lunch staff. The Jones lunch staff have become an integral part of the school, with many working at Jones for nearly a decade.

“I’ve been working here for seven years… these are the best students. They are always polite, always say thank you, and they’re very appreciative,” said North Cafeteria worker Brenda Winulon.

While interacting with hundreds of students on a daily basis, the lunch ladies strive to keep a positive atmosphere.

“This is more than just a job, we get to interact and see the students every day,” said Winulon. “And, if they’re happy, we don’t want to ruin that happiness.”

Some of the lunch staff have noticed a difference in the sociability of upperclassmen and new Jones students.  

“I’ve been here since 2013… the older students and the new students [interact differently],” said South Cafeteria worker Cynthia Garrett. “The older students, when you say something to them they would respond and I’m seeing that some of the new students just look.”

When dealing with difficult or upset students, some lunch ladies make an effort to uplift their mood.

¨My favorite part is when I serve the students, I love to see them come in,¨ said Garrett. “Some of the students are friendly, and the ones that are not I try to say something to make them happy or smile at least.”

Some students at Jones recommend others should be respectful when getting food at the cafeteria.

“They seem like kind, caring people,” said Christopher Harrison ‘23. “I always say ‘thank you’ or ‘have a nice day’ because I feel that’s pretty respectful and proper etiquette.”

For a positive experience, most agree that respect and proper etiquette has to go both ways.

“Something I would like from the students is, when they come in line, not to point [at food you want],” said Garrett. “If you point, I can’t understand what you want, because we have different things here. I tell students, ‘if you tell me what you want I can get you out of here quicker.’”

Overall the lunch ladies say they appreciate the Jones students and wish them the best of luck in the rest of their high school career.

“Keep being who you are. Always appreciate others and yourself… you’re never alone here,” said Winulon. “Just keep supporting us and we’ll always support you.”