(EL PASO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT – Oct. 16, 2026) — Before the school day gets underway, Sandra Jurado is already hard at work with her team, preparing meals and drinks for the young students who will soon fill the cafeteria at Mesita Early Childhood Development Center at Vilas.

Her day begins at 6 a.m., but her reason for being there goes back more than four decades.

Jurado has spent almost 44 years serving El Paso ISD students. Since joining the District in 1983, she has worked in different roles, from substitute teacher to cook and eventually cafeteria manager. Through every change, one thing has remained the same.

“I love working with kids, and that’s the reason why I’ve stayed for so long with El Paso ISD,” Jurado said. “I love seeing their smiles throughout the years from Christmas to the summer break.”

As National School Lunch Week comes to a close, Jurado’s story offers a glimpse into the dedication of the Food and Nutrition Services team members who help students start their school day ready to learn.

For Jurado, that responsibility extends well beyond preparing a meal.

“We don’t just make the food, but we also take care of the kids and nurture them and make sure they’re okay because sometimes they come to us because they miss their mom or dad and we try to make sure they’re okay,” she said.

That personal connection is what keeps Jurado coming back. She enjoys seeing students light up over some of their cafeteria favorites, including nachos, tacos, hamburgers and chicken sandwiches. But the smiles and the relationships she builds with students are what make the work especially meaningful.

Over the years, Jurado has taken on different responsibilities across the District. She began her El Paso ISD career at Guillen Middle School before moving to Western Hills. She later spent two years cooking before becoming a cafeteria manager.

Even now, Jurado is happy to return to the kitchen whenever her team needs an extra hand.

“I’m not afraid of cooking or to be in another position from one day to the next because that’s what I’m here for, to serve our students,” Jurado said.

That willingness to step in is one reason she has no plans to retire just yet.

“I’ve heard from people before asking me, ‘Are you ready to retire?’ I say, ‘No.’ Because I can still do stuff, I can move, and even when someone is out, I like to step up and help anyway I can,” she said.

Jurado said her team encourages her to keep going, but her students remain at the center of her decision.

“I am not ready to retire because of my students. My team supports me too, they’re like if you can keep going then go for it,” she said.

For Jurado, the work is about more than the meals served each day. It is about creating a welcoming place where children can feel cared for, even when they are having a difficult morning.

She hopes other El Paso ISD employees just starting their careers will bring that same sense of care and positivity to their work.

“Provide good customer service and show everyone that you love to be here,” Jurado said. “I mean, I love my job and I like waking up and being here every day. Be happy and spread that positivity to other people.”

After 44 years, Jurado continues to arrive early, prepare meals and lend a hand wherever she is needed. And when students walk through the cafeteria doors, she sees an opportunity to do what she has loved since the beginning: serve them, encourage them and help make their day a little brighter.