Most days at Trico, the smell of something warm and familiar drifts through the halls long before the lunch bell rings. Garlic-butter rolls, chicken and rice soup, toasted ravioli—favorites that make even the staff peek into the cafeteria to see what’s cooking. Behind that daily comfort is Kelly Wingerter, Trico’s director of food service, who leads a team that turns out hundreds of meals a day with the kind of reliability that often gets overlooked.

Kelly laughs when she recalls how it all started. “I began subbing in 2016 while working nights at Brunzeez Cafe  in Ava,” she said. “I’d get called in when they were short-staffed, and before I knew it, I was filling full-time roles for people out on medical leave. One thing led to another, and in 2021, I was officially asked to run the show.”

Running the show means orchestrating an operation that serves both breakfast and lunch for hundreds of children every day across two buildings. “At the high school, breakfast runs around 150 to 160 students, which is way up from when I first started here,” Kelly explained. “Lunch is closer to 250 or 260.” At the elementary school, the numbers are even higher: pre-K meals, after-school snacks for Pioneer Village, and as many as 400 lunches in a single day.

It’s more than just cooking—it’s choreography. Orders must be placed, menus planned weeks ahead, and trucks unloaded. “I always try to plan Mondays lighter,” Kelly said, “because I remember what it felt like when I was the one doing all the prep and then getting slammed with deliveries.”

The work is physical. Cases of food are heavy, pots are heavier, and the pace is relentless from 6 a.m. until cleanup. “We all have bad backs and bad shoulders,” she admitted with a grin. “And yes, we get jealous if we see someone sitting down. But the priority is always the kitchen. Paperwork can wait—kids need to be fed.”

That sense of responsibility goes beyond logistics. Kelly knows that for some students, the meals her team serves may be the best—or only—reliable food they get. You can’t learn on an empty stomach.”

Her department has been quietly innovating to make sure no child goes without. Kelly is working toward a “grab-and-go” breakfast option so that students running late can still start the day with something in their stomach. “Even a Pop-Tart or a bowl of cereal can make the difference between focusing and struggling through class,” she said.

COVID-19 made her job even more complex. Taking over in July 2021 meant navigating supply shortages, safety protocols, and fluctuating participation rates. But through it all, she kept smiling. “I’ve been in all of these cooks’ shoes,” Kelly said. “I know how it feels to be on the line, so I try to make things better for them.”

The result is a department that runs with both efficiency and heart. The cooks at Trico Elementary and Trico Junior/Senior High School aren’t just serving food—they’re fueling futures. From garlic rolls to toasted ravioli, the menus may vary, but the mission never does: make sure every child is nourished, cared for, and ready to learn.

And if you ask Kelly what the favorite dish is, she’ll laugh and admit that the kids still gravitate toward the classics—cheeseburgers, pizza, fries. “The staff,” she added, “they love the toasted ravioli.”

What she loves most, though, is knowing her work matters. “It’s overlooked sometimes,” she said. “People assume it just happens. But it doesn’t happen on its own. It happens because this team shows up, works hard, and gets it done.”

In a district that spans around 100,000 acres of corn, wheat, and beanfields with a fair amount of timber sprinkled in, where resources are stretched thin and every role matters, Kelly Wingerter and her team embody the unseen heroism of public schools. They don’t just feed students; they give them the strength to learn, to grow, and to carry Trico forward.