County Leaders Honor Newark Director Who Keeps Kids Healthy

Newark city workers joined the Alameda County Board of Education in recognizing a manager for his work in keeping students healthy.

The board members awarded the Public Education Service award to Child Nutrition Director Dominic Machi during their March 8 meeting.

Alameda County Board of Education President Eileen McDonald said 100 people crowded into the meeting room to watch the award presentation.

"Newark is fortunate to have someone of Dominic's caliber as director of child nutrition,” McDonald said in an e-mail message to Newark Patch. “His innovative ideas are known throughout the state, but it doesn't stop there. He walks the talk by implementing this creativity, which benefits the children in the Newark Unified School District.  It was my honor to present him with a county award for his exemplary work."

McDonald also shared part of a letter from the California Food Policy Advocates in which Executive Director Kevin Hecht congratulated Machi on the award and shared an example of how Machi went above and beyond to make sure students have what they need in school cafeterias.

"In July a new California statute will require schools to provide free drinking water to students when they are eating school meals,” Hecht wrote. “While many districts are concerned that this new requirement is too costly and complicated to implement, Dominic simply went out, found some dispensers and cups, and began offering water even before required to do so. The kids love it—particularly as Dominic is flavoring the water with lemons that he receives free of charge from USDA."

According to McDonald, some menu items taste better than ever.

Before the board meeting, Machi offered board members samples of new breakfast burritos that were being served in Newark cafeterias.

McDonald said school workers served the beef sausage burritos stuffed with scrambled eggs and cheese to students who met the eligibility criteria for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast program.

“They were delicious!” she said. “They were better than breakfast from McDonald’s or Burger King.”

Click here to see the agenda for the Alameda County Board of Education Meeting.