Be the Reason Someone Smiles Today
We are at an elementary school in Santa Maria County. This is my second day with the University of California CalFresh Nutrition Education Program (UC CalFresh) and my first time going to this school. When we enter the 4th grade classroom, sounds of excitement come from the students. I see their faces light up with smiles. They know something fun is about to happen.
Melissa Rorabough introduces herself to the students. She knows her last name is sometimes challenging for students, so she gives them an easy way to remember its pronunciation. A lion goes “roar” and a sheep goes “baa” (Ror-bough). Most of them already know her and she is the reason for their smiles. Melissa has been working with this school for 3 years and it shows in her connection with the students. This is the first unspoken lesson I learn from her: build relationships with students and they will want to learn from you. Melissa can’t walk from one classroom to another without a few students saying hi.
In the classrooms, Melissa has an engaging personality, but students remain respectful. She’s not afraid to be silly, such as pretending to lean over when explaining the term lean meats. However, she keeps control of a classroom and the students listen to her. Already, I saw another lesson: setting boundaries and expectations are necessary for success. In after- school activities, Melissa clearly explains the rules of the club and holds students accountable. When we were explaining a game to a large group of students, I was worried it was going to devolve into chaos and injury. However, the students all listened, followed the rules and had fun.
UC CalFresh work is a lot of fun. Lessons to kindergarten classes involve reading story books and taking pretend “field trips” to farms. I got to observe Melissa and staff have fun in the classrooms and engage with students. Observing them allowed me to feel very comfortable leading lessons myself. Here is another lesson I’ve learned from Melissa and the staff here at Calfresh: make nutrition fun. When you are in the classrooms, knowing the curriculum is important but so is having a smile and positive attitude. If you have all those things, your students will be engaged and learning.
CalFresh work is not all fun and games though. There is a lot of logistical work since their office is in San Luis Obispo but most of the schools they partner with are in Santa Maria. In addition, staff live spread out around the area so there is always talk of carpooling, using county vehicles and figuring out travel time. Melissa is the Community Education Supervisor and is always willing to help and figure out the logistics. She’ll offer to make trips to the storage unit or store if it’s necessary to saving time. Melissa’s willingness to help out wherever is needed is a great benefit to the team. She has great relationships with coworkers and they feel comfortable asking for her advice or help.
Melissa made me feel part of the team from day one. I was encouraged to lead or co-teach classes whenever I felt comfortable. She is easy to talk to and makes a point to get to know people. In addition to UC CalFresh programming, we talked about our dogs, hobbies and Melissa’s new pet chicken, Mrs. Cluck Cluck. I’ve grown to expect at least one new story a week about the chicken’s adventures. She is also part of a staff “Sunshine Committee” which celebrates coworkers’ birthdays. She bought quite a few party supplies (pinatas, confetti, streamers, hats, balloons, and more) to make two coworkers’ birthdays memorable. Connecting with people and having fun are part of her everyday routine.
I thought I was going to have to interview Melissa for this article. However, her everyday actions and words taught me more than any formal interview would. Melissa’s work in schools allows her to connect with students and engage in conversations about healthy living and eating. She’s not afraid to be silly but students respect her expectations. She’s connected to and has fun with her coworkers but is always willing to help. Most importantly, she brings a positive and fun attitude to her work. Her office has the message “Be the reason someone smiles today.” Based on firsthand experience, I know she can bring smiles to students by just walking into the room. Because of her many lessons, I hope to someday be able to do the same.
