GUERNSEY – Wyoming First Lady Jennie Gordon and Guernsey-Sunrise High School Food Service Coordinator Dawndrea Daly have a passion for their common love of riding motorcycles. They also have a passion to make sure no child goes hungry in Wyoming.

The First Lady paid a visit to GSHS June 9 to attend a special luncheon that honored Daly for her tireless work during the pandemic. Daly was awarded the RISE award.

Governor Mark Gordon, in partnership with the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), put forth applications for an award honoring inspirational school employees with the Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) Award.

This new award, passed by Congress in 2019 and overseen by the U.S. Department of Education (USDE), honors classified school employees who provide exemplary service. 

A classified school employee can be an employee who works in any grade, from pre-kindergarten through high school, in any of the following occupational specialties: paraprofessional, clerical and administrative services, transportation services, food and nutrition services, custodial and maintenance services, security services, health and student services, technical services, and skilled trades.

Nominees must, at a minimum, demonstrate excellence in the following areas: Work performance; School and community involvement; Leadership and commitment; Local support (from co-workers, school administrators, community members, etc., who speak to the nominee’s exemplary work); Enhancement of classified school employees' image in the community and schools. Letters of recommendation can be cited.

The top two Wyoming applicants’ names were forwarded to USDA by Nov. 1, 2020. U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos selected a single classified school employee from among the nominees to receive the RISE Award. Governor Gordon will honor all nominees and finalists. In addition, the USDE will recognize the honoree and communicate his or her story in order to inspire excellence among classified school employees.

Dawndrea Daly has done a lot for Guernsey High School and the students that attend. While the pandemic shut down many places of businesses and schools, Guernsey High School became dark and vacated with the exception of Daly.

She remained on the front lines, preparing food for students who were in quarantine. This was the case in almost all school systems in Wyoming, but at Guernsey, Daly was a one-woman juggernaut. In the face of COVID she pressed on making sure her kids were fed each day.

“I’m honored, I really am,” Daly said. “At the school board, they said that Rawland (Isabell) had won something, so he had to come to the board meeting. While really, he didn’t win anything, and they were just trying to get me there. Mr. Beard said that he didn’t win, and that it was instead, me.”

At the luncheon created specially for honoring Daly, many people stood and gave testimony as to the kindness, tenacity and heart that she has. Including Gordon.

“Dawndrea truly believes all students are her kids and she runs a welcoming kitchen and never makes a student feel less than awesome,” said PCSD No. 2 Superintendent Mike Beard. “Being a Guernsey native, she is highly involved in the community volunteering her time during the holidays working on the local food and gift biker runs. Dawndrea is present when her kitchen needs to be used and steps right in to help whatever group is using it. She is supportive of students in activities outside of the classroom, attending concerts, plays, performances and athletic events.

“If a student or community member needs something Dawndrea is there to help, often out of her own pocket. As frustrating as it can be when a staff member needs something at the last minute, often without planning ahead, she always is willing to help out with a smile on her face. Our cafeteria is a happy, welcoming place for students, staff and parents.”

According to First Lady Jennie Gordon, the Wyoming Hunger Initiative which was her initiative as she came into the office has really taken off and has seen some great growth throughout the state of Wyoming. The RISE award is just a part of the vision come true for Gordon.

“What we’re working on is really not reinventing the wheel,” Gordon said. “We want to work with all the people who are already working in this area on the ground and Lynn Kirkbride, who is the secretary, has been on from the start and has been a great asset.”

The Food Hunger Initiative that Gordon has chosen to champion is ending childhood hunger and food insecurity for children in Wyoming. As a part of the Gordon’s campaign, The Food Hunger Initiative really was brought to the forefront of a pressing need to be addressed in conquering hunger in Wyoming’s children.

As for partnering in organizations that reach out and touch Platte County, Gordon says that The Hunger Initiative partners with the Food Bank of Wyoming, The Wyoming Food Coalition, Food from the Field and Food, Farm and Ranch to name just a few.

Also paid within The Hunger Initiative is the Angel Accounts.

“Traveling around the state I learned there is almost $285k worth of unpaid lunch debt,” Gordon said. “These are kids that kind of fall between the cracks. They don’t qualify for the free and reduced lunches, but they don’t quite make enough so they get behind.”

The Angel Accounts is a program that was created to alleviate that debt. The pilot programs for this program were put into place in Converse County and Carbon County.

“What we’ve asked them is to take the child out of the equation,” she said. “The debts between the parents and the school district, so they make the contract. If they pay off half of their debt, we will come in and pay for the other half. It gives them a little bit of relief and so far in Converse County they’ve already eliminated over $10K of their $42K debt.”

As to the RISE honor, Daly said that she doesn’t think she can top all of the special things that have happened to her this year.

Daly not only takes care of the foodservice department, but goes above and beyond and applies for grants each year to get things for the school.  So far, she has gotten a new salad bar, fresh fruit that is distributed to each class for a snack, and the Geodome for students to grow fresh vegetables. Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, the dome cannot be used this year.

Daly has been the Food Service Coordinator for six years and before that she is was the head cook. As she sees retirement down the line a bit, everyone else sees big shoes that are going to be almost impossible to fill.