When students walk into the lunchroom to eat, they can look forward to talking to Melinda about how their day is going. Some people enjoy talking to Melinda  Schoonmaker, the head Canton cafeteria cook, more than eating. Melinda starts her day at 6:00 in the morning and goes home at 4:30.

She started her job as a school cook 24 years ago, and she has been here ever since. Soon she grew to love it.

Melinda’s favorite part of the day is during lunch because she gets to interact with the students. While not all the kids like all of the school’s food, Melinda enjoys it. Her favorite is chicken and noodles, and her favorite to cook is taco soup.

Away from school she enjoys spending time with her family, which includes her husband James, her daughters Amanda and Shania, and her son Justin. She also enjoys reading and embroidery.

If you ask Melinda about why she dislikes being under buildings, she will tell you about the time when she was in elementary school that Mr. Barney pushed her underneath the old lunchroom and kept her trapped there for rest of recess.

Melinda always has a smile on her face no matter what kind of day she is having. She just wants to make all of the students feel better.