Have you ever wondered who cooks your lunch or helps you cross the road on your way to school?
Maka Maroun, a cafeteria lunch lady and crossing guard, is one of those people who actually does both.
Maroun began her career at San Ramon Valley Unified School District serving as a yard duty monitor at Country Club Elementary School.
In 2011, she applied to be a nutrition assistant for Cal High, where she has been working since. In 2017, she also became a crossing guard along Broadmoor Drive.
“I like cooking and serving food for the kids,” Maroun said. “I’m so happy when I see the kids happy.”
Maroun’s coworker, child nutrition manager Elaine Esguerra, said Maroun is very thoughtful and has been a great addition to Cal’s lunch team.
“Last Christmas she gave everybody a present,” Esguerra said. “I wasn’t expecting that. Just this Valentine’s Day, she came in and she gave me a Valentine. She’s the type of person that likes everybody to get together.”
When she’s not working as a nutrition assistant in the school cafeteria, Maroun’s other job is to help kids cross safely from one side of Broadmoor Drive to the other.
Even though some students might not see her job as important, Maroun thinks it should be a priority to help students get to and school safely in the mornings.
“Some students, they’re really nice, they appreciate [my] job,” Maroun said. “Some don’t care [and] they want to just jump in straight and cross [the street]. I feel comfortable when the students are crossing and [I can] watch them go home safe.”
After working at Cal in the morning, Maroun heads to Neil Armstrong Elementary School to serve as a crossing guard.
Because Cal is surrounded by a residential area, many students choose to walk to school to avoid the traffic that congests the roads. Students such as freshman Vania Kamaraju appreciate Maroun’s efforts to ensure students get to school safely.
“People get into car accidents all the time,” Kamaraju said, “so it’s really important to have that person there just to get you through the road.”
Maroun says a lot of people aren’t careful with their speed limit in neighboring areas and that endangers students crossing the road. She encourages schools to prioritize helping students get to and home from school safely.
“Be careful when driving and crossing please,” Maroun said. “It’s very dangerous. I want them to check.”
Maroun’s kind efforts to help students cross the street don’t stop there. They also extend to her work life.
“As a person she’s very nice, very funny, very easy to work with,” Maria Jacobo, Maroun’s coworker in food services, said.
Jacobo said Maroun makes sure everyone in her workspace feels included so that they can all work together and make sure students get the best food and safety possible.
Esguerra agreed.
“She’s always willing to help out,” she said.
Eloy Carrillo has known Maroun for nine years since started working together in Cal’s food services and has experienced her hardworking efforts firsthand.
“She’s very kind and thoughtful,” Carrillo said.
The next time students see Maroun while walking home or getting their lunch in the commons, they can think about all of the hard work and efforts of people who help make the school function on a day-to-day basis.
“I like to be with the students,” Maroun said. “I really like the staff, everybody helps each other make food and prepare everything.”