Ms. Ashly’s Impact on Walls

In the media, lunch managers are often portrayed as distant and careless to what is being put on student’s lunch trays. There is no question: lunch managers often have a bad reputation. But in the corner of Commons A, Ms. Ashly leads the cafeteria at Walls. While she creates a welcoming environment that students get school lunch from, she also breaks stereotypes about what a “lunch lady” should be.

Rocio Marin-Hormigo (‘28) finds that the school lunch is convenient and a great option for her. In her house, she explained, “we always have food that takes too long to prepare,” so buying lunch or getting lunch in the school is easier. “She always says ‘sweetie’ to me, which I think is nice,” Marin-Hormigo added, explaining that her interactions with Ms. Ashly leave a positive impact on her when she does get school lunch.  

For students who get school lunch regularly, they have developed a strong relationship with the cafeteria manager. Yasmine Wright (‘28), who gets school lunch almost every day, enjoys getting the school lunch for its variety and the friendly environment Ms. Ashly creates. “She notices every time I dye my hair a new color,” Wright noted. Regardless of what time students get in the school lunch line, Ms. Ashly makes conversation with kids throughout both lunch periods. While Wright often gets lunch towards the end of her lunch period, “[Ms. Ashly] jokes with the students and makes the space super chill.” 

Although the 2025-2026 school year is just her second year here at Walls, Ms. Ashly has been working in school food service for fifteen years. And she has been loving every second of it. “I love working with kids and being a cafe manager,” she explained, “...and, [working at Walls], I get to do both.”

Ms. Ashly’s schedule at Walls is very different from anyone else in the school, arriving at 7:15am and leaving at 2:30pm. Usually, around 7:30, she conducts a walk-through of the cafeteria which, she says, is when she can “check the equipment, make sure it’s working and make sure the water temperature is good.” Afterwards, she prepares the cold side of breakfast for students who come early in the morning for clubs, which contains the yogurt, milk and fruit. Breakfast is usually served until 10, when Ms. Ashly starts prepping for lunch. “I wipe everything off, sanitizing the counters and tables, then I take my break.” She then serves the regular school lunch from 12 to 2. But, around 1:30, the school lunch line dies down and she can finish up her day. At 2:30, when Ms. Ashly has finished doing paperwork and washing the dishes, she can finally go home.

While that can seem to get repetitive, the students make the days all worth it for her. When asked what her favorite part of her job is, she answered “the different personalities that come in each day.” In the lunch line, there is a diverse range of students, from freshmen to seniors.

Students have shown great appreciation towards Ms. Ashly and her hospitable nature in the last years, with the class of ‘25 surprising her on her birthday. “For my birthday, they bought me a cake [and] gave me a shoutout.”

Even after the lunch periods are over, Ms. Ashly’s memorable conversations and welcoming attitude continue to make an impact on students. Ms. Ashly not only makes a small room in Commons A feel more like a home but also builds a community rooted in kindness and the belief that everyone deserves to be welcome.