The national, non-profit School Nutrition Association (SNA) has named Megan Grippa, Lebanon City School District's Child Nutrition Coordinator, the Midwest region Director of the Year. The award recognizes the extraordinary contributions of school nutrition directors who manage effective school meal programs providing healthy, appetizing meals to students. Congratulations, Megan! 

Mrs. Grippa’s efforts to enhance student engagement and provide diverse, healthy menu choices have directly impacted our school meal program, significantly increasing student participation. She enhanced student interest by installing a new salad bar and four specialty vending machines, developed a fresh baked pizza program and secured a grant to offer fresh smoothies as nutritious breakfast options in the middle and high schools. Mrs. Grippa introduced new menu planning software to streamline the process, improving the accuracy of nutritional information and enabling the district to better track and plan meals according to student dietary needs.

Mrs. Grippa works to ensure her staff feel valued and appreciated. She brought in motivating speakers to promote professional growth and improve communication and collaboration. Mrs. Grippa hired a field supervisor to provide ongoing, hands-on training for staff on everything from equipment usage and recipe development to production techniques. Her investments in equipment such as immersion blenders, food processors and combi-ovens have made production smoother and more manageable for staff. She also holds monthly manager meetings to provide a platform for staff to ask questions, share successes and receive recognition. 

She actively participates in the district wellness committee and developed a successful adult meal program featuring healthy options for teachers and central office staff to promote wellness across the district. Mrs. Grippa is collaborating with several teachers to develop the Student Nutrition Advisory Council (SNAC) to provide students a voice in menu offerings. She takes the time to speak with classes about meal composition, compliance and nutrition and holds sessions for district staff to foster a deeper understanding of the importance of school nutrition and build stronger relationships.

To engage students and parents, she adapted popular school recipes into easy-to-make versions for home use. She provided samples during an Open House to promote the food service program while also empowering families to recreate healthy meals at home, building stronger ties between the department and the community. Mrs. Grippa was a guest lecturer at the University of Cincinnati to inspire and educate future professionals about the value of working in child nutrition and spark interest in the field.

“Megan is committed to improving student health and providing diverse, nutritious choices to enhance the overall foodservice experience and increase student interest,” said Shannon Gleave, RDN, SNS, School Nutrition Association President. “Her commitment to staff professional development is evident and has made a lasting positive impact.”

Mrs. Grippa is the president-elect for the Ohio SNA affiliate. Her passion for the organization is evident through her active participation, including her desire to push for positive change as an attendee of the national Legislative Action Conference. She encourages staff members to get involved with SNA and their involvement has a welcomed positive impact on their career growth as well as program operations.

The Director of the Year Award was created to recognize school nutrition directors who exhibit an extraordinary commitment to their school meal programs. The directors are responsible for maintaining the quality of the program through student interaction, menu planning and a commitment to serving nutritious, tasty and well-balanced school meals. Through effective oversight of all aspects of food service operations, including budgeting, staffing, training, marketing and community outreach, school nutrition directors ensure the overall success of school meal programs. 

Mrs. Grippa was announced as the Midwest region Director of the Year during an online awards ceremony on April 30 in advance of School Lunch Hero Day, celebrated on May 2, 2025, to honor all of America’s dedicated school nutrition professionals. About School Nutrition Association: The School Nutrition Association (SNA) is a national, non-profit professional organization representing 50,000 school nutrition professionals across the country. Founded in 1946, SNA and its members are dedicated to making healthy school meals and nutrition education available to all students. For more information on school meals, visit www.SchoolNutrition.org/SchoolMeals.