Attending a college prep school often means a jam-packed schedule. Going from one class to the next, finding times to meet with teachers, participating in sports, and somehow squeezing in extracurricular activities—it’s hard to believe students even have time for any socializing. This schedule can lead to hasty interactions with those outside of our “central circle”. As a senior looking back at my time at MICDS, I realized how little of the staff, both in maintenance and the kitchen, I knew. In my last month here, I wanted to highlight the people who put food on the table for us: our kitchen staff.  But first, I wanted to see if I was the only one who felt that they knew so little. 

“I can’t say that I have a connection with any staff member, unfortunately.” Ramya Mariappan ‘26. said.  

“I think as a whole, the MICDS community does not know the staff very well.” Carrie Clennan ‘26, said. 

Leela Anadkat ‘29, said that she only knew one member of staff–Julie Wilson, Executive Chef,  who helped coordinate her allergy meals.

 “Specific staff that I’ve connected to? Not really.” Brad Heinemann, sculpture teacher, said. Heinemann has worked at MICDS for twenty years.

Despite admittedly not knowing many of the staff, Anadkat noted the kindness and joy amongst the staff. 

“They’re all so nice,” she said. “ If you walk in and grab your food, and you’re like, ‘Hi, how was your day?’ They’re always smiling and having a good day, and they’re super sweet. If you have any questions, they want to answer them for you.”

Clennan took note of the environment in the lunch room in comparison to her public school. 

“I just remember the cafeterias always being so insanely loud that I couldn’t even think, and the teachers would yell at us because we were being so obnoxious…I feel like the MICDS cafeteria is kind of nice. I like walking up to people and being like, ‘Hey, how are you?’ And they always seem really nice,” Clennan said. This positive sentiment seemed to be universal. 

“I think that the community enjoys [interacting with] the kitchen staff” Heinemann said. “I see them having positive interactions with students, faculty, and staff alike.” 

It struck me how each student and faculty member I interviewed admittedly knew very little about the kitchen staff, but still had a clear appreciation for them. 

So I wanted to go to the root of the story: the staff.

I first spoke with Julie Wilson, the Executive chef of the Upper School kitchen. 

“My job is to make sure we have menus in place, make sure the team is executing their jobs every day, and just trying to keep everyone as happy as we can,” Wilson said. When asked about her favorite part of the job, Wilson didn’t hesitate. 

“The people,” Wilson said. “My whole team here is wonderful. They’re just great people. And then you guys, the students, are just always so kind and very nice, and it’s good to see you guys just out and about enjoying your days.” 

Paul Boyce, who many students would recognize from the dishwashing counter, discussed a similar sentiment. “It’s good people,” he said. “Good surroundings, good food. It’s a good environment to work in. I come here every morning, no bad feelings. I enjoy coming here,” Boyce said.

Wilson also talked about aspects of the kitchen that many students may not initially think about.

“The cost,” Wilson said.  “Some things are more expensive than you think they’d be. Like a little case of chicken breast is $100, and for 650 people, that can build up. So that’s always a little surprising. Or just how much food we go through, like today we have nachos, and we go through 15 cases of these chips. Because you guys love the nachos,” Wilson laughed.

Despite the costs, Wilson highlighted the intentionality behind the meals that were served.

“We try to bring you guys food that you’re going to enjoy, while also making sure that it’s as healthy as it can be,” she said. “I mean, chicken tenders aren’t a healthy meal, and if we could serve that every day, I’m sure everyone would love that. We just try to make it healthy and enjoyable. I just want people to like the food,” Wilson said.

Wilson and Boyce both seemed to reflect positively on their time interacting with the MICDS community.

“I find little moments of joy every day of just talking to people or listening to people,” Wilson said. 

“I get to know them by name,” Boyce said. “I’ve seen so many of them graduate from here. Freshmen all the way to seniors, then comes another little batch. I’ve been here, I’ve seen it all. They come and go,” he smiled.

While it may sound ridiculous, it can be easy for students to forget that each one of the faculty and staff at this school has lives outside of MICDS when they are caught in the hustle and bustle of their own lives. Wilson, for instance, was telling me all about her family and passion for reading.

“I’m at the age where I enjoy being at home and just sitting outside and reading a book,” Wilson said. “Over spring break, it was very nice. I read–I’m not exaggerating–like six books. I just enjoy relaxing and spending time with my family,” she said.

Boyce discussed his love for fishing and how it frequently becomes a point of conversation with the MICDS students. 

“I do a lot of fishing,” Boyce said. “I got my granddaughter, you know, students ask me, ‘How’s your granddaughter doing?’ I tell them ‘I’m going to the zoo with her,’ stuff like that.” Boyce smiled talking about these interactions. 

Boyce, Wilson, and the rest of the kitchen staff have a job that sometimes goes unrecognized by the student body, aside from the “thank-yous” and “pleases” that accompany the lunch line. In the last few days of high school, I think about all the small interactions I have had with the kitchen staff and how their work every day helps make my day a little better. I think of the fortune cookie slips from Chinese New Year left in the back of my phone case or how I lean below the dish window to make eye contact with Paul and wish him a good day. While there are many big moments at MICDS that I always come back to–homecoming weekend, gamedays, prom- I find myself arriving at the same sentiment as every person I talked to. It really is the people that make the place, the wave in the hallway, or the thank you as a member of the kitchen staff hands you the card for your panini. The people behind MICDS, behind our grounds, behind our education, and behind our kitchen, help support the buzz of the school, the small moments that you might forget, but are inevitably part of why I know I will miss this place after I graduate.