08/30/2026
It was an incredible honor and privilege for SSUSD Child Nutrition department to have the opportunity to create and cook a special dinner for Captain Victor Glover, NASA astronaut, prior to the Kerr-McGee community event on Wednesday Aug 26th.
This special meal was made possible through the incredible teamwork of our Child Nutrition Services team. Koree Kelly, China Lake Jr. High Kitchen Manager, planned a delicious menu, and with the help of Child Nutrition Director Sue LeBlanc, along with Child Nutrition support staff Mackenzie Helm and Kaira Tshushima, a beautiful and delicious meal was prepared to cater this very special event.
"Having the opportunity to design a personal menu and prepare a meal for an astronaut, city council members, the superintendent, school board members, the chief of police, and so many other important leaders from the base and community was an experience that will never be forgotten", said Koree Kelly, CLJH Kitchen Manager.
The menu featured:
🥩 Blackberry & Fig BBQ Brisket — slow-roasted brisket with a scratch-made blackberry and fig barbecue sauce
🍗 Creamy Tarragon Lemon Chicken Thighs — boneless, skinless chicken thighs
🌿 Roasted Asparagus — tossed in a scratch-made lemon Dijon dressing
🥖 Freshly Baked Dinner Rolls — served with herb butter
🥗 Strawberry, Cucumber, Onion & Feta Spring Salad — with a scratch-made blackberry fig Dijon balsamic dressing
And for dessert:
🍫 Mini chocolate tarts with scratch-made caramel sauce and sea salt flakes
🍋 Scratch-made lemon curd mini cheesecakes
🥧 Semi-scratch cherry pie bars
In a follow up email, Superintendent April Moore shared, "This event was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the exceptional work of our Child Nutrition Services team. The scratch-cooked meals prepared in our kitchens are a true source of pride for the district and reflect our commitment to serving students and our community with care, quality, and excellence".
For our Child Nutrition Team, this was more than simply preparing a meal—it was a once-in-a-career opportunity to showcase creativity, culinary skill, and the heart behind the work of Child Nutrition Services.
