VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Stacey Truman has been serving up lunch at Kingston Elementary School in Virginia Beach for nine years.
Recently, she started writing messages of encouragement on the bananas in the lunch line.
“Calling them 'talking bananas,' and that it was cool and high-fiving me," Stacey said of her kind gesture, which turned out to be a hit with the kids and made waves in the community.
The students loved it.
“It might have been on the banana, but for somebody it might be something that stuck with them for the whole day… 'Be smart, you’re enough,'" said one of Stacey's coworkers.
Fifth graders were stoked to see News 3's camera at the end of lunch Tuesday and even more excited when they heard we were there to give Stacey - or "Mrs. Truman," as the kids call her - a People Taking Action award. We also presented her with a $300 gift card from our community partner, Southern Bank.
The kids went wild cheering and clapping for Truman, a person who basically has watched most of them grow up.
“Oh my god, I’m so speechless," Stacey said. "I never in a million years expected all of this; I’m so humbled, so embarrassed and so surprised.”
Kingston Elementary staff said Stacey takes care of the kids every day, checking on them and knowing them by name. Stacey told us she also tries to cheer them up if they're having a bad day.
And it's not just the kids who are feeling the love - Stacey’s kindness and consideration extends to the staff, too.
“She’s very good to all of us. She makes us smoothies, scones," her coworker said. "This is her world, and we so appreciate everything that she does.”
We at News 3 appreciate you too, Stacey!
Do you know someone who's worthy of a People Taking Action award? Click here to nominate them!
