By CRISTINA JANNEY
Hays Post
Jolene Hoover, head of nutrition services at Lincoln Elementary School, was honored with the Best of the Best Award for staff for December.
Hoover has work at Lincoln for 36 1/2 years and will be retiring as of Wednesday.
Elaine Rohleder, Lincoln principal, and Jessica Younker, nutrition services director, nominated Hoover for the award.
As a parent, Rohleder would send her own children to Lincoln’s basement cafeteria for breakfast with Hoover.
“I knew Jolene would always be there to take care of them,” she said. “Just as every other parent at Lincoln school, I knew Jolene would be there with that smiling face and would be welcoming to them each and every day.”
There were mornings that Rohleder worked in the breakfast program and she saw there were mornings Hoover took time out of her busy schedule to help a student with a math problem or help a student who was struggling with homework.
“It shows you what kind of people work for USD 489,” Rohleder said. “Jolene is the first person they see in the morning. That smiling face welcomes them and helps them start their day on a positive note. She is the person they see in the middle of the day. And hopefully if they are having a bad day, she can help turn it around with a ‘Hello, how are you?’ because she knows all of their names.
“As the crossing guard on Fourth Street, she is the last person they see when they leave Lincoln school. She is always there to wish them, ‘Have a great night.’ She is there through the whole day, and I think that is a testament to her commitment to Lincoln Elementary School and our students.”
Younker said Hoover has been great to work with.
“I know every student who was walked through Lincoln Elementary School the last 36 years remembers her and appreciates the service she provided for them,” she said.
Hoover said she will miss the kids and the school.
CJ Denny, Hays Middle School student, was honored with the district’s student Best of the Best Award for December. He was nominated by science teacher Sherry Nelson and the middle school librarian Lynette Armstrong.
“I am CJ’s TA teacher at Hays Middle School, so he has been in my class for the last two and half years,” Nelson said. “During that time, I have never met a student who was so polite to absolutely anyone and everyone at the school whether they are staff or students. He goes out of his way to pay attention to the other students and TA, helps anybody as necessary. He is just in tune to their feelings and emotions.”
CJ walks all the way back to Nelson’s room every day after school to wish her a good afternoon.
“I am just tickled to get to know CJ,” she said. “He is just an incredible young man.”
Armstrong nominated CJ because he helped at the school book fair last month.
A mom came in to find a book for her son. After a lot of searching, she found just the right book. When she came up to pay for the book, she did not have enough money to buy the book. Before any of the adults had time to react, CJ pulled his own money out of his pocket that he had brought to buy a book for himself and helped pay for the book.
The woman was a complete stranger to him. She was not the mother of one of his friends.
“He just saw a stranger in need and did not hesitate to help out in any way that he could ” Armstrong said. “I would have to say that some of us adults in the room were almost moved to tears by it. I am very honored that you guys accepted our nomination. I think he is a very deserving student. We are all better off at HMS to have him there every day with us.”