Stephanie Holman; Child Nutrition Director; Jefferson Independent School District; Jefferson, Texas
Thirty years ago, Stephanie Holman started washing dishes in a school cafeteria. Today, she's a child nutrition director and leads a team of 18 who serve hundreds of meals every day.
Stephanie’s journey began with practical considerations: she wanted to work at her children's school. What started as convenience quickly became her calling. “I realized I may be the only smile, ‘good morning,’ or meal a child gets that day,” she explains. This perspective shifted everything for Stephanie, who discovered that her role extended far beyond serving food.
When Stephanie joined Jefferson ISD eight years ago, she brought along three decades of K-12 foodservice experience. Her background spans every aspect of kitchen operations, giving her unique insight into both the challenges and possibilities school nutrition programs hold.
Under Stephanie’s leadership, Jefferson ISD stands apart from other districts in several key ways. The district is the only one in their region offering the Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program (FFVP), which introduces students to new foods they might not encounter otherwise. The program brings fresh options directly into classrooms and engages teachers as partners in nutrition education.
The Farm to School initiative takes this connection even further. Local farmers visit the district to share their produce and stories directly with students. These interactions often lead to field trips where children can see where their food originates, creating meaningful connections between agriculture and their daily meals. Stephanie explains, “The more you involve students in their meals, the more they’re going to eat.”
Perhaps most impactfully, the Backpack Program ensures nutrition doesn't stop at school dismissal. To address food insecurity that often occurs beyond school hours, students receive shelf-stable breakfast and lunch items to take home for weekends.
In the kitchen, Stephanie and her team maintain a commitment to scratch cooking almost daily. She actively encourages her staff to contribute ideas, resulting in comfort foods like brisket, meatloaf, spaghetti, and lasagna appearing alongside more traditional cafeteria fare.
Along with the scratch cooking, Stephanie’s menus are supported by General Mills Foodservice items, especially the breakfast program. It includes products such as Pillsbury™ biscuits, blueberry and maple pancakes, Pull-Aparts, Yoplait® yogurt, and many others — options that make morning meals appealing to students across different age groups.
Managing an 18-member team requires both structure and flexibility, something Stephanie has mastered over her tenure. Her approach centers on making the work environment enjoyable while maintaining high standards. “We have fun with it,” she notes. "But I don't have time for messy.” This balance keeps staff engaged and operations running smoothly.
Stephanie is quick to give plenty of credit to her team for the district’s collective success. Her leadership style reflects someone who understands every position because she's worked most of them herself. She would never ask her staff to perform a task she wouldn’t do herself.
For those considering careers in K-12 foodservice, Stephanie offers honest perspective. “My first day, I went home crying. It's tough work,” she admits. However, Stephanie emphasizes that combining a love for food with genuine care for children can lead to “a lifetime of enjoyment.” When asked about her favorite aspect of the job, her answer comes without hesitation: the kids. After three decades in foodservice, her motivation remains the same.
Stephanie Holman’s story illustrates how individual dedication can transform institutional culture. Her programs extend nutrition education beyond the cafeteria, connect students with their food sources, and ensure consistent access to meals. Under her leadership, Jefferson ISD has created an exemplary model of how things can and should be done.
Most importantly, Stephanie has maintained the human element that first drew her to this work. Her focus remains steadfast on the growing children who depend on her team each day. That perspective, more than any program or innovation, may be her greatest contribution to school nutrition.