“The love, dedication, and willingness to always help, understand, and advocate for the people around me has kept me in this field to this day,” says Kayi Mensah.
A proud product and parent of public schools, Mensah hails from Lomé, Togo in West Africa. With over 20 years of experience in Child Nutrition, she now serves as the Child Nutrition Manager at Panther Creek High School in Cary.
Mensah joined the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE) after the pandemic, when nutrition staff faced broken equipment and chronic understaffing. She launched a campaign with her coworkers that gathered over 1,500 signatures, which they delivered to the school board, sparking real change.
“Things have changed ever since,” she says. “The equipment was fixed or replaced; we have been paid twice a month. As a manager and a union member, I know that I am not alone, and I am supported by my union siblings. I am pretty sure that things will be better as long as we stay united and not afraid to voice our demands.”
Heroes are often those who strive to better not only their own lives, but the lives of others. Through her union advocacy, Mensah is uplifting her fellow school staff, and through her daily work, she’s nourishing the students in her community.
Quote byKayi Mensah , Child Nutrition Manager
For Mensah, the workday starts as early as 5:30 a.m. to prepare breakfast. Without a break, she and her team transition directly into preparing lunch, which involves managing the register, cleaning the cafeteria, restocking supplies, and of course, cooking the food itself. And that’s just part of her job.
“When doing all this, I need to read emails and reply to them, prepare and make orders, receive deliveries and do meetings on Zoom and the most challenging part is when an employee is absent."
When a team member is out, there is no backup. The rest of the team must cover the workload, still ensuring meals are served on time. To make matters worse, they’re not allowed to work overtime, meaning unfinished tasks roll over into the next day.
Mensah says a lot of people don’t consider how hard child nutrition employees work to make sure no child goes through the school day hungry.
“People don’t consider our work; they don’t take it seriously; they think it is an easy job,” she says. “I wish everyone could step in our shoes and see the work that we do every day.
Thankfully, her school community recognizes her team’s efforts.
“The PTA and principal send us appreciation cards and goody bags. Last year, lunch was offered in a glamorous way; a room was decorated, and we were honored during school lunch week. The PTA also sent me a gift card on my birthday.”
Across North Carolina, child nutrition professionals like Kayi Mensah are making a daily difference in students’ lives. With the support of her union, Mensah is working to create lasting change, not just in her school, but in communities across the state.
“Everyone should know that he or she can join the union freely without asking permission from the higher up,” she says. “With the help of the union, we still need to fight for pay raise so that no one should do three jobs to survive. ONE JOB SHOULD BE ENOUGH.”
