Photo courtesy of School Nutrition Association of Iowa social media.

Stephanie Hawkins has been the Food Service Director for the Fairfield Community School District for the last seven years. Hawkins’s passion for feeding kids was recognized earlier this month, as she was named the Iowa Food Service Director of the Year, and the Midwest Regional Food Service Director of the Year by the School Nutrition Association.

Nominated for the awards by members of her own team, Hawkins tells KCII how it feels to have that staff support. “That just meant the world that they thought that the work that I do is worth nominating, and then to be picked first, [I’m] so honored and humbled.”

In a role that involves menu planning, ordering food, and following numerous and ever-changing USDA guidelines, Hawkins has helped make the school lunch program at Fairfield one of the best in the state. Through offering more options for students, ordering locally-sourced proteins and produce, and other creative ideas like adding a cafe at the high school, Hawkins and her team saw 17,000 more meals served in her first year than the one prior.

While it is an individual award, Hawkins was quick to praise the food service professionals she works with every day. Despite not originally going to school for this line of work, she added, “I am passionate about feeding kids. I love what I do. I count it a privilege.”

While school is out for the year, Hawkins is staying busy preparing for Fairfield’s summer food program which begins on Monday.