By: Brendan Losinski | Troy Times | Published March 22, 2023
TROY — One Troy School District staff member got a surprise March 20.
Catering Supervisor Stephanie Gervais was named the district’s 2023 winner of the Support Staff Member of the Year award. She was surprised by several of her family members and district staff arriving at her office at Athens High School to announce that she had won.
“I am overwhelmed and overjoyed. This is such an honor,” Gervais remarked. “I’m very humbled, because there are so many people who are well deserving of this award, and I am so happy that I was chosen. … It was a total surprise.”
Gervais helps coordinate food and refreshments both during district events and on a day-to-day basis.
“I’ve been with the district 19 years,” she said. “I either work at Athens or at the district office. … The catering department was established 21 years ago. There’s a catering area here at Athens High School. We primarily cater events like board workshops, provide food for administration, we sometimes do celebratory events for the whole school; we basically feed everybody but the kids.”
The award is open by nomination each year, and the winner is selected by a committee of support staff in the district. Most staff positions who are not teachers or administrators are eligible. In addition to the award, Gervais was awarded a check for $250 from the Troy Foundation for Educational Excellence
“Every year we give a cash award to the winner of the support staff member of the year, but this year is extra special because Stephanie has been instrumental in helping us with our golf outing (fundraisers) through the years and given us a lot of advice,” explained Alison Hendry, the executive director of the Troy Foundation for Educational Excellence. “It’s nice to give the award to someone who has helped your organization personally.”
Troy Superintendent Rich Machesky said that Gervais is exactly the sort of staff member a district like Troy needs to ensure things not only get done, but are done correctly and on schedule.
“I think there are many individuals who are deserving of this award. Stephanie is one of those people who quietly goes about her business behind the scenes,” he said. “She is very much an unsung hero. Oftentimes, she is in the kitchen or the back room organizing things or filling serving trays. She has made sure we can run events throughout the district, and she is dedicated to what she does. She works on weekends and she does shopping on her own. She doesn’t have to do things like that. She chooses to because that is the kind of person she is.”
Gayle Moran, the food service liaison for Troy Schools, works with Gervais on a daily basis and stressed how hard Gervais works and how diligent she is at doing her job.
“I have worked with Stephanie for more than 19 years. She is the most dedicated, detailed, hard working person I know,” said Moran. “She does a wonderful job and caters to everyone. She sees it through from beginning to end. She plans the menu, she works with the client, she prepares the food, sets it up, serves it, cleans it up and bills it.”
Moran added that she could think of no one more deserving of recognition in the district than Gervais.
“She is a very caring and loving person. She cares about our kids and works with them. She is just a wonderful person,” Gervais said. “I am so pleased and honored that I am here to acknowledge this moment.”