Teachers at a Utah school host holiday dinner to ‘show the kids that they matter’

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ibrahim Sadiq, 8, decides what he wants from servers. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granite Park Junior High assistant principal Megan Madsen empties cans of corn with her daughter Harper, 3. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Granite Park Junior High after school coordinator Carter Woolf shares a laugh with physical education and health teacher and sports coach Lori Vreeken (center) and history teacher Emily Mijarez as they cook dinner for their students and their family. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Oscar Seranno, 13, and his brother Joel eat dinner with their father. Oscar attends seventh grade at Granite Park Junior High. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Iraqi refugees Ali Al Sarag and his friend and Granite Park Junior High student Sajjad Alsheri enjoy dinner at the school. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Lissandro Cervantes-Magana (center) points to the cookie he desires as his brother Imanol, 11, and father Agustin (left) wait in line. At right is Joel Seranno and his brother Oscar, 13, who attends seventh grade at Granite Park Junior High. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High School’s faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ‘Dinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays.

(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Granite Park Junior High food pantry coordinator Brody Mangum and Lydia Hight, 10, cart food to the cafeteria. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays.

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(Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Ibrahim Sadiq, 8, decides what he wants from servers. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays. (Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Granite Park Junior High assistant principal Megan Madsen empties cans of corn with her daughter Harper, 3. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays. (Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Granite Park Junior High after school coordinator Carter Woolf shares a laugh with physical education and health teacher and sports coach Lori Vreeken (center) and history teacher Emily Mijarez as they cook dinner for their students and their family. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays. (Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Oscar Seranno, 13, and his brother Joel eat dinner with their father. Oscar attends seventh grade at Granite Park Junior High. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays. (Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Iraqi refugees Ali Al Sarag and his friend and Granite Park Junior High student Sajjad Alsheri enjoy dinner at the school. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays. (Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Lissandro Cervantes-Magana (center) points to the cookie he desires as his brother Imanol, 11, and father Agustin (left) wait in line. At right is Joel Seranno and his brother Oscar, 13, who attends seventh grade at Granite Park Junior High. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays. (Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High School’s faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ‘Dinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays. (Leah Hogsten | The Salt Lake Tribune) l-r Granite Park Junior High food pantry coordinator Brody Mangum and Lydia Hight, 10, cart food to the cafeteria. Sixteen members of Granite Park Junior High SchoolÕs faculty prepared and served a hot spaghetti meal to students and their families, Friday, December 22, 2017 at the school for the inaugural ÔDinner at the Park.' Roughly 90 percent of students who attend Granite Park Junior High in South Salt Lake qualify for free or reduced lunch through the federal school lunch program. Knowing the challenges faced by their students, staff members at Granite Park came up with an idea to help families through the holidays.

By Kelly Schmidt

· 2 hours ago

South Salt Lake • Granite Park Jr. High’s new principal, Aaron Wilson, marvels at the diversity of his school’s nearly 600 students and their families.

Many are refugees, and more than 60 percent speak English as a second language. But with about 90 percent of students also qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, Wilson and several staff members at the school worried that many might not have enough food over the two-week winter break.

“These kids influence us,” Wilson said, “and if students need access to food or other basic needs, then we do our best to provide everything we can for them.”

To help them through the holidays, members of Granite Park’s faculty and staff hosted a spaghetti dinner Friday night for students and family members. Sixteen teachers served the dinner, dubbed “Dinner at the Park.”

Donated spaghetti sauce and pasta came from the Granite Education Foundation. Area eatery Kneaders Bakery provided bread, and folks from Westminster College’s education department gave plastic containers so students could take home leftovers.

There were games and activities for students and siblings. Leftovers were delivered to several local community centers and refugee groups, to reach families that couldn’t attend the dinner.

Wilson said he hopes the holiday dinner will become a yearly tradition. He described it as an opportunity to convey an important message to his students.

“This signals to the kids that they matter — how powerful is that?” he said. “They see their principal and math teacher with aprons on serving in a meal line, saying hello to their families. This helps us make a connection between school and home.”