Bus Drivers and Others in Transportation Recognized for Service

At its recent awards ceremony, the Transportation Department recognized Safe Driving, Perfect Attendance and Years of Service  2015 - 2016 SAFE DRIVING RECOGNITION
First Name	Last Name	2016 Cummulative Years	First Name	Last Name	2016 Cummulative Years
RUTH	SMITH	37	BRONNA	FLOWERS	17
SUSAN	BOWEN	35	SHIRLEY	DUNCAN	16
KAREN	IDOL	34	ROBERT	ELDRIDGE	16
BARBARA	REEVES	34	SHEILA	NESBITT	16
GLENDA	STEPHENS	32	DYLONDRA	SMITH	16
ARVON	HOBSON	31	SHARON	FRANCE	15
GLORIA	BOSTON	30	CLARENCE	HAUSER	15
SHIRLEY	IRELAND	29	CARMEN	LYONS	15
BRENDA	KINNEY	29	CONNIE	MABE	15
VICKIE	JAGER	28	ROBERT	NEFF	15
PHYLLIS	SHIELDS	28	BENNIE	SHULER	15
GLORIA	PORTERFIELD	27	MELISSA	ATWATER	14
BRANDON	SEARCY	27	YOLANDA	HAIRSTON	14
GERALDINE	TORRENCE	27	KELLI	HARRIS	14
CONNIE	GURALECZKA	26	KEVIN	TAYLOR	14
BETTY	LINVILLE	26	BRIDGETTE	WATKINS	14
WAYNE	MABE	25	CYNTHIA	COLEMAN	13
DARNELLA	MCINTYRE	25	FAITH	DUNCAN	13
LESLIE	O'NEAL	25	DEON	HIGGINS	13
JEANNETTE	CARLTON	24	FRANCINA	MAJETT	13
MICHAEL	BIRNEY	23	LOUISE	MCELWEE	13
JACKIE	BARBER	22	VERNITA	OAKES	13
MARY	DIAMOND	22	ALTOVISE	ROWLAND	13
DONNA	WOOD	22	LISA	SIMPSON	13
EULA	RICHARDSON	21	FREDDIE	BRADSHAW	12
JAMIE	HAIRSTON	20	CLAY	BRYAN JR.	12
LISA	IRBY-SEARCY	20	WANDA	BYERS	12
RITA	MABE	20	LINDA	DAVIS	12
DONALD	CLAGETT	19	THEODIS	FOSTER	12
ARTHUR	MCKAY	19	JAMERA	MCQUEEN	12
GLORIA	O'NEIL	19	TERRANCE	SCRIVEN	12
JOSEPH	SALLEY JR.	19	FRANCIS	WARD	12
GECHOKIA	SMITH	19	TERESA	WAGNER	12
DEBRORAH	STOKES	19	FAYE	BEESON	11
ZAYNAB	EBRAHIM	18	JIMMY	CLINE	11
ANGELA	LOCKHART	18	KAREN	DODD	11
AVIS	RUCKER	18	ROSEMARY	FRYE-SPENCER	11
SHERRYL	MILLER	17	ELIZABETH	HUGGINS	11
NATHAN	WILKINS	17	GRADY	JACKSON	11
LORI	KUPKOWSKI	11	MARGARETTA	SCALES	8
ANTHONY	LEE	11	TERESA	SPAUGH	8
HERBERT	LILES	11	ALAN	WHITE	8
ANA	MOYER	11	PAUL	DUNLAP	7

SHAQUA	MITCHELL	11	GERALD	MOCK	7
PATRICIA	ATTUCKS	10	JOAN	SCALES	7
SHEILA	BREWTON	10	TOMMY	SPRINGS	7
TERRI	BYERS	10	SHEKTHA	TURNER	7
MELISSA	COLEMAN	10	KIMBERLY	WESTMORELAND	7
JAMEKA	COOK	10	DEANIE	ALDERSON	6
SHAWNTA	DUNLAP	10	DONNA	FURR	6
ROBERT	EVANS	10	DORETHA	SHANNON	6
TANICIA	JONES	10	ARNISIA	MCKAY	5
KENNETH	NAIL	10	KELLY	ROBINSON	5
BELINDA	NYAN	10	DEBRA	SAMUELS	5
KIMREY	OWENS	10	NAPOLEON	VANCE	5
JOHN	PORTERFIELD	10	NATASHIA	WOLFE	5
LATONYA	SMITH	10	JACQUELINE	AMAR	4
SANDRA	SPRY	10	JASMINE	BOYKINS	4
CAROLLEE	BANGLE	9	LAKECIA	COLLINS	4
ANGELA	CHATMAN	9	ADRIENE	CUTHRELL	4
BEVERLY	COOPER	9	JAMES KENT	FERGUSON	4
GAIL	FARMER	9	JULIE	GRISSOM	4
LATRINA	HARRIS	9	GESSICA	LEWIS	4
KAREN	HUTCHENS	9	SHAWANNA	LYONS	4
JAMES	MARTIN	9	MONA	MCCALL	4
WANDA	PETERKIN	9	JANINE	STEWART	4
SHARON	SETTLE	9	CRAIG	AMOS	3
MARY	SIMMONS	9	HAROLD	BLAKELY	3
HAROLD	THOMPSON	9	BEN	BOLTON	3
PRESTON	WEBB	9	JANET	BOWEN	3
DAVID	ANGEL	8	RAINA	DOUTHIT	3
ANNA	COHEN	8	JAMES	FOREMAN	3
SUSAN	COLLINS	8	RAHMAN	GARDNER	3
KENNY	EVANS	8	MAYTRE	GIBBS	3
FLOYD	GREENE	8	EDWARD	GREENE	3
WYNETTE	NAPPER	8	MARY	HARP	3
LINETTA	RICHARDSON	8	GRACE	KNIESS	3
TONYA	ROANE	8	DAVID	MCINTOSH	3
HARDING	ROBERTSON	8	CLAUDIA	RABER	3
ROBERT	RABER	3	DIANE	HUTCHINS	1
STEPHEN	SAMUELS	3	CLIFTON	INGRAM JR.	1
BRENDA	WIEDDER	3	MELVINA	JONES	1
TRIBUT	WILLIAMSON	3	TARESHA	JOHNSON	1
BEN	BOLTON	3	ANDREA	JUSTICE	1
MICHAEL	SIMS	3	AMIE	LAWSON	1
MICHELLE	VIGH	3	LATOYA	LEAK	1
BELINDA	HOWARD	2	GARY	LEWIS	1

HAROLD	RICE	2	ASHLEY	LEWIS	1
WILLIAM	BANGLE	1	RAESAUN	LOYD	1
NAKESHA	BECOAT	1	LIONELL	MATTOCKS	1
JANET	BEESON	1	COREY	MCCLAIN	1
JANET	BEESON	1	CHARLES	MCCULLOUGH	1
ARTHUR	BENY	1	WALLACE	MCELWEE	1
EDWINA	BLACKWELL0	1	MICHAEL	MICHEL	1
RAY	BYRD	1	ROY	MITCHELL	1
KATHLEEN	CATES	1	PAULETTE	MURCHISON	1
DAVID	CLARKE	1	STEPHEN	NAKAGAWA	1
MARSHALL	COPE	1	CRYSTAL	NICHOLS	1
JEANETTE	CORBETT	1	WILLIAM	OWENS	1
DEMETRIOUS	CORNELL	1	SAMUEL	PARDON	1
KENNETH	CROCKETT	1	KEITH	PATTIS	1
TONYA	DALTON	1	MAUREEN	PICCIUTO	1
RAY	DANIELS	1	BRIAN	PLESS	1
TIMOTHY	DAVIS JR.	1	JERRY	PRIDDY	1
TIMOTHY	DAVIS SR.	1	MYRA	PRUITT	1
ROBERT	DWYER	1	ALVIS	REYNOLDS	1
BOBBY	EDMOND	1	CHAVELA	RICHMOND	1
THOMAS	EVANS	1	MORRIS	ROBERTS	1
LONITA	FAEREBEE	1	ARTIS	RUCKER	1
CRYSTAL	FERRER	1	JEFFREY	SCALES	1
JOHN	FRANCE	1	WILLIAM	SCHAFFHAUSER	1
SHERI	FRYER	1	TAMEKA	SETTLE	1
BRADLEY	GOFF	1	LATOYA	SIDES	1
LATOYA	GRAFTON	1	BETTY	SIMPSON	1
RODNEY	HAIRSTON	1	TAMMY	SNOW	1
RHONDA	HENRYHAND	1	JINI	SPEAS	1
AMANDA	HENRY-WINSTON	1	TERRICA	STEWART	1
JEROME	HUGHES	1	SABRINA	STODDARD	1
ANNA MARIE	HUTCHERSON	1	SWANETTA	STOWE	1
SHERICA	THOMAS	1	LARRY	WRIGHT	1
JOHN	TRIVETT	1	VICKIE	LINDSAY	1
TERRY	TUCKER	1	ARCTAVIA	MILLER	1
DENA	TUTTLE	1	APRIL	MYERS	1
ARTHUR	WEDEMEYER	1	MARIA	WILBORN	1
TERRANCE	WILBORN	1	TERRANCE	WILBORN	1
JAMES	WILLIAMS	1	SHEREE	WILLIAMS	1

2015 ~ 2016 YEARS OF SERVICE				2015 ~ 2016 YEAR-LONG PERFECT ATTENDANCE
Hellen Bee	35 Years		Karen Idol	26 Years	Cynthia Coleman		1 Years
Angela Hawkins	30 Years		Brandon Searcy	20 Years	Robert Dwyer		1 Years
Darrell Taylor	30 Years		Shirley Ireland	17 Years	Thomas Evans		1 Years
Preston Webb Jr.	30 Years		Donald Clagett	16 Years	Bernard Flynt		1 Years
Diane Hutchens	25 Years		Michael Birney	15 Years	James Foreman		1 Years
Shirley Ireland	25 Years		Zaynab Ebrahim	13 Years	Theodis Foster		1 Years
Sharon Knight	25 Years		susan Bowen	12 Years	Connie Guraleczka		1 Years
Kathy Lemmons	25 Years		Herbert Liles	11 Years	Rodney Hairston		1 Years
Elmer Mabe	25 Years		Carolee Bangle	9 Years	Clifton Ingram Jr.		1 Years
Gechokia Smith	25 Years		Clarence Hauser	8 Years	Ashley Lewis		1 Years
Leslie O'Neal	25 Years		Leslie O'Neal	8 Years	David McIntosh		1 Years
Evette Blakely	20 Years		Thomas Hilton	7 Years	Jamera McQueen		1 Years
Faith Duncan	20 Years		Mary Simmons	7 Years	Michael Michel		1 Years
Zaynab Ebrahim	20 Years		Arthur McKay	5 Years	Ana Moyer		1 Years
Sharon France	20 Years		Sharon Settle	5 Years	Sheila Nesbitt		1 Years
Arthur McKay	20 Years		Janine Stewart	4 Years	Wanda Peterkin		1 Years
Ladonnie Raynor	20 Years		Michelle Vigh	3 Years	Harding Robertson		1 Years
Harry Wood	20 Years		Ray Byrd	2 Years	Joseph Salley		1 Years
Susan Collins		2 Years		Joan Scales		1 Years
Lakecia Collins		2 Years		Gechokia Smith		1 Years
Anthony Lee		2 Years		Jini Speas		1 Years
Gary Lewis		2 Years		Debrorah Stokes		1 Years
James Martin		2 Years		Reginald Tate		1 Years
Freddie Bradshaw		1 Years		Terrance Wilborn		1 Years
Clinton Bullock		1 Years		Larry Wright		1 Years
Claude Chavis		1 Years		Mohammad Yusep		1 Years

Almost There!

From time to time, Cielo Kramer, the food service manager at Cash Elementary School, shares her thoughts. 

By Cielo Kramer

On May 24, during the Board of Education meeting, my daughter, Nadine Kramer, was awarded the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools 2016 Character Education Service Award.  As proud parents we brought our tribe and celebrated the momentous event with our daughter. I saw my husband beaming with pride as the presenter called Nadine’s name and began narrating how she got the award.

Nominated by three teachers, she was chosen by the judges for being the one who most impacted her community through her service. She volunteered 120 hours at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital, helped Dayspring Soup Kitchen, was in charge of selling popcorn at Atkins to purchase picnic tables, donated her time to be a part of STEAM Night answering questions from parents and students, tutored chemistry to struggling students, was an active Chamber of Commerce Ambassador and a member of Student Body Council.

You may wonder, with her busy schedule, how she still manages to make A’s on all her subjects and make us even prouder.

That is why I forgive her for not washing the dishes sometimes!

It takes effort and dedication to accomplish something worthwhile.   Wisdom, courage and love are essentials.

Life in the kitchen is a great adventure!  I want to write my own odyssey as a manager and wonder if I could have an Oz experience and  find myself at home to the very end of it all. Then maybe I could find the strength, wisdom and love to start all over again. (Thinking of school year 2016-2017).

Wisdom – I seriously counted all the forms, reports, inventories, evaluations, orders, invoices, receipts, reprimands, audits, notes, memos, inspections, work orders, and all the dealing I made to my staff, principal, school staff, parents and students. Hold your breath and maybe this is the time you might want to say a little prayer for cafeteria managers. 

That is why the Book of Proverbs tells us, wisdom is far better than silver or gold. The scarecrow asked for it. The wizard at the end told him he already had the brains and was considered the wisest in all of Oz!

Not playing as the wizard here but cafeteria managers have the brains!!!

Some might consider us uneducated lunch ladies – behind-the-scenes school employees – with the spotlight not shining on us. Some even think we do not exist! But, hey, in our little Child Nutrition Oz Land, operations will come to a screeching halt if some  of us get sick or give up.

Courage – In the wee hours of the day, we start our routines, regimen without complaints, same old procedures, a drill you will not miss. It can take you to the Land of Boredom if you don’t mix passion with it. Courage to lift heavy boxes , courage to deal with staff, parents and students , courage to meet deadlines, courage to be positive, courage to smile courage to stand strong and strength to make it to the end. The lion in you sometimes roars for a break but just like the life in the jungle, you have to run, run fast for the victor’s catch: a hyena for lunch! For managers, a trip to the bathroom sometimes!

Love – The attribute I most lean on…my courage, my strength! I find my joy, my peace, my kindness, my forbearance, my goodness, my faithfulness, my gentleness, my self-control!

The absence of love will be my end, doing work just for money or even for the sake of service or making someone else happy would bring me to a tiresome state. Love for what I do, love for God, love for my  family , love for humanity, love for my country drive me to work and accomplish what I envisioned to do. 

Some of us might be perceived as heartless as the Tin Man but I believe that most of us have hearts of gold, trying to make a difference, trying to be responsible, trying to carry the heavy loads because we want to love. Walking an extra mile for someone, trying to understand someone’s weakness, being gracious when someone mistreat us.

All things become beautiful when we start to love. We include people, we tolerate their ugly ways, and we accept their failures. We extend our hands, we help to educate. Yes, we love even to our own hurts.

School Year 2015-2016 is rounding up! In our small kitchen in Cash, our operation was not smooth all the time. We had some rough rides but I am confident that we have done the service we were meant to do for our local community. I pray that our efforts will have the ripple effects to make a difference even in the years to come.

I strongly recommend for my co-Lions, co-Scarecrow and co-Tin Men in Child Nutrition Oz Land- take courage, be strong and love some more!! 20016-20017 is already beaming with great promises! We all did a tremendous job!! Tap and do a little dance today!! Someone is seeing you!

Sweet days are coming! Rest for the body, rest for the soul!  No matter how hard the race can be, the finish line is always the goal. Some say it doesn’t matter how you hurdle along the way,  as long as you end well, that’s how it counts. It’s not all about winning but accomplishing your aim, fulfilling your goals, shooting your target, resting in your destination.  Like Dorothy, after ALL of THESE…don’t we all just want to be HOME?

To our wizards Lauren Richards and Amanda Mendenhall, to the ever- hardworking crew at the Child Nutrition Office and to our very supportive supervisors, thank you for travelling with us this year!