By Madeleine Dumais, Social Media and Distribution Editor
Lisa Cyra
Lisa Cyra is the director of food services in the Vashon Island School District. She began working for the district seven years ago.
Cyra didn’t start working for the district until after she attended a meeting about changing the district food program to switch the kitchens to healthy foods made scratch and locally sourced products. After the meeting she decided she wanted to be part of the program.
“Seven years ago, I found myself working my dream job, changing the face of school lunches for the entire Vashon School District!” said Cyra.
Cyra started out working a few days a week in the district’s kitchens and, within a few months, she was heading the program. At the time, Cyra’s daughter was at Chautauqua, and one of her two sons was at the high school.
“I think that the opportunity and challenge to provide fresh and homemade food for 700-800 kids, age 5-18 years old every day, breakfast and lunch, is one reason that I continue to love my job,” said Cyra. “I can’t think of a better way to show my love of our community and our children!”
Before Cyra moved to the island, she went to Western Washington University, where she received her BA in Human Services and met her husband.
In 1985, Cyra decided to apply to the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. She completed two years at CCA before working in four-star hotels and restaurants as a pastry chef. She also worked a fishing lodge in Alaska, and then owned her own catering business.
Jennifer Brenner
Jennifer Brenner began working in the food industry when she was about 20 years old in community college. She worked in restaurants in California and eventually Seattle.
“After high school, I went to community college, and then I started working in restaurants,” said Brenner. “I worked front of the house and back of the house, and didn’t finish college.”
Brenner and Cyra did some catering together and, four years ago, Cyra mentioned a job opening in the VHS kitchen. Brenner’s daughter was just starting kindergarten at the time, and it gave Brenner an opportunity to go back to work.
Lindsay Aickin
Lindsay Aickin also became involved in the VHS kitchen through Cyra.
“I was in an exercise class with Lisa [Cyra], and she was working here, and she told me they needed somebody, and I thought I’d try it out,” said Aickin. “I wanted an island job. I was done commuting, [and spending] three hours of my day [stuck] in ferry lines and on the freeway.”
Aickin loves working at the high school with the older students.
“I do love high school kids,” she said. “I’m really comfortable at the high school.”
Before Aickin began working at the high school, she was the director of training for the Sheraton Hotel. She has her master’s degree in behavioral science and organizational development.
“It’s nice to be out of the corporate [business], and just be doing something a little more hands-on,” said Aickin. “I do like hands-on work.”
A big part of the job is collaboration and communication, which is what Aickin specialized in before she began working in the high school.
“You really have to be a team here,” said Aickin. “You have to communicate. I [enjoy] communicating with adults; my whole career was in communication and training.”
Patti Draughty
Patti Draughty began working for the district when her daughter, who is now 27, was in the 3rd grade. She has been on the kitchen staff the longest, and will be retiring this year after almost 20 years.
“I like living and working on the island, and I always liked being involved with [the schools],” Draughty said.“When a job opened up in the kitchen, back at the old school, I applied, and I got it.”
Draughty is not married, but her daughter has graduated from Western Washington University and is now pursuing her master’s. Draughty herself never went to college, but thinks it’s very important.
“I’ve always just been a laborer, and I’ve always been a strong union member in all my jobs and I’m very proud of that,” said Draughty.
Beth Sedgemore
Beth Sedgemore began working for the high school because both of her kids were going to school in the district. She likes that working for the school district means she has the same schedule as her kids.
Sedgemore is married and has two kids, a sophomore in college and a senior at high school.
Before Sedgemore worked for the high school, she got her bachelor’s of science and criminal justice.
All the ladies in the kitchen love to have fun and joke around.
“[My favorite part of working here is] Lindsay’s salads; she makes really good salads,” said Sedgemore. “The worst part is listening to Kim singing the Carpenters music.”
Risa Stahl
Risa Stahl has a master’s in nutrition and always wanted to work in food.
“Working here in the kitchen is the best thing I could do,” said Stahl.
Stahl did her undergrad at Rutgers in New Jersey and then went to Bastyr in Kenmore, Washington. She is also married with three kids. She and her spouse have a seventh grader, a freshman, and a senior.
“I love working the middle school. I love going to McMurray,” said Stahl. “Right now, I have one kid there. Since I’ve been working [here], I’ve had kids there… It’s fun.”
Meghen Magonegil
This year is Meghen Magonegil’s first year working in the school kitchens. Last year, she worked as a substitute in the kitchens, and this year, a position became available. She applied and was hired by the district.
Magonegil has a small catering company and had some friends who told her how fun it was to work in the kitchens. After that, she began subbing whenever she could.
Magonegil did not go to culinary school, but she does have a degree in psychology from Washington State University. She is also married with two kids. Her daughter is a seventh grader at McMurray and her son is a fifth grader at Chautauqua.
Kim Gateman
Kim Gateman began working in the district kitchens when her kids were at Chautauqua, where she began volunteering. When her daughter was going into the first grade, two positions became available. She was hired, and she has now been working in the districts kitchens for 14 years.
“I love the kids and I love the people I work with,” said Gateman. “We have a really good time, I like to bother them, I’m the prankster in the group.”
Gateman never went to college but she graduated from VHS in 1981. Both of her daughters, however, have gone to college.