For many middle school students, this past week was filled with snow days and sleeping in. But six Tappan Middle School students set their alarms on Saturday morning and got up early to help feed the less fortunate breakfast at St. Andrews, the first group from Tappan to join up with Anna’s Kindness this school year.
Seventh graders Tyson Bowling, Victor Heskia, Keyair Steward, and sixth graders Deanna Pych, Claire Kim, and Meg Pinkerton were joined by Tappan school counselor Karel Graham to serve a morning meal to those in need. Despite the early hour (on a weekend no less), the sixth and seventh graders were focused, efficient, and hard-working, making sure all the food and drinks were out and ready when guests began filing into the St. Andrews cafeteria at 7:30 a.m.
While Meg and Claire filled up many of the juice glasses with guava and fruit cocktail to prep for breakfast, Tyson took over duties and managed the juice station throughout breakfast. He refilled cups as needed, and then mastered the delicate job of ensuring there was just enough juice to last until 8:30 a.m. without having so many leftovers that juice would go to waste.
Deanna was ready to be a Starbucks barista.
“Yes, I am,” she smiled as the meal service wound down. Deanna served coffee to guests throughout the hour, and although frappucinos and lattes were not on the menu — just straight-up coffee — she felt certain she was prepared for a part-time job at the coffeehouse. Now if they only hired middle schoolers. Hmmm.
Claire and Meg served up the main course for guests: oatmeal and grits. The pair poured out bowl after bowl and also discovered — as did all the Tappan students — that the guests loved to stop and talk: Stories about jump roping, fat feral pet cats surviving the cold weather … you name it.
Keyair and Victor were delivering deserts — cookies, doughnuts, pie, and yogurt — through much of the hour, but as 8:30 a.m. approached, Keyair joined Tyson and Tappan counselor Karel Graham to wipe down tables and put up chairs. After the breakfast ended, Claire helped dispose of the leftover oatmeal and grits and wipe down the counters, Deanna refilled and cleaned the cereal containers, and all the girls cleared the serving tables and put away bowls and baskets.
Victor moved to the back kitchen and helped team leader Nick with dishes. Victor pulled the dishes from the automatic washer, set them out to dry, and then restocked the dishes on the shelves, a vital role at the end of the breakfast shift that allowed everyone to be finished with cleanup by 9 a.m. He was exceptional with dishes, and really enjoyed the responsibility, though he’d prefer his mother not find out he liked doing dishes.
Thanks to Karel for helping Anna’s Kindness become involved with Tappan Middle School. Thanks also to Nick and Karen, breakfast leaders who guided the students through the responsibilities of the meal service. And thank you to Susette and Morgan with the breakfast program for allowing Anna’s Kindness to be a part of the St. Andrew’s morning tradition.
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