School lunches will never be the same at Lynnwood Intermediate School.
Sue Emme, who has worked in food services there for the past six years, is retiring from her duties in the kitchen at the end of this year. But after working in the schools for the past 20 years, Emme is too attached to the children to let go completely.
Watching Emme work, it is easy to see that she wholeheartedly enjoys what she does. Whether she is talking to a student about the child’s new kittens, chatting with students about the duties involved in helping out in the kitchen or simply greeting each and every child with a smile as she hands over one of her “world famous chicken burgers,” Emme affected the children she came in contact with.
“She just really has a heart of gold,” Lynnwood Intermediate Principal David Koyama said. “She’s always here for the kids.”
This year in particular Emme went above and beyond her responsibilities to help the children, Koyama said.
In May, the school had a Scholastic BookFair, and Emme said she wanted to see as many students as possible receive books. She began raising money to donate, and family and friends immediately began pitching in extra funds as well. The fundraising really got underway when her daughter purchased a new house, which still contained many of the previous owner’s possessions. Emme and her family decided to have a garage sale to get rid of the household items, and all the money raised would be donated to students.
Emme and her family put a sign out so people could know that the money would be donated, and many people responded positively. Some people made 50-cent purchases with a $20 bill and left the change. Emme raised around $1,400. This money allowed 120 students at the school to receive books free of charge.
“Kids are our future,” Emme said, “and we need to guide them now.”
Emme said she strongly believes that children should not be judged.
“People think because they’re kids, they don’t have anything to say,” Emme said. “I just don’t judge these kids.”
The students respond positively to Emme.
“I think she’s a great, loving, caring, helpful person,” fifth-grader Rachel Martin said. “She’s like the sun. She brightens everyone’s world.”
One student told Emme she was going to miss her, and she was hoping she could visit Emme one day this summer so they can have lunch together.
Steve VandeGriend, a fifth grade teacher at Lynnwood Intermediate, said the children made Emme a mural when she was gone for surgery this school year. All of the students at the school signed the mural of Emme standing behind her food cart, he said.
VandeGriend said he is thankful for the constant support Emme has given the teachers. When he took a group of students to Lowe’s to work on a geometry packet, Emme volunteered as a chaperone and helped the students with the project.
“She always wanted to be involved in raising the enthusiasm for learning,” VandeGriend said.
Emme always responds graciously to the appreciation, and said she will miss working with the students next year. Emme has five grandchildren, including a four-month-old, and she decided she needs to retire so she could spend time with her family. But she intends to volunteer in the classrooms at Lynnwood Intermediate next year, she said.
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