As students, our experiences in school depend greatly on ourselves and those around us, peers and faculty. Staff Appreciation is a new weekly chain of articles to acknowledge and show gratitude for the staff members that go above and beyond to better students’ experiences. This week, it has been decided that Staff Appreciation will acknowledge a woman whose consistently bright demeanor and effort in her work has resonated with the student body. Karen Lauth, who is usually working at concession during lunch, whether A, B, or C, makes every student who interacts with her feel cheerier.
Due to one of the three main meals falling during the school day, having hard-working and cheery kitchen staff is very important for a positive daily experience, for both students and other staff members. This is why it is also important to acknowledge the other hard-working women in the cafeteria who provide healthy and tasty meals to the students and faculty everyday. These women include Kim, Tammy, Sherry, Lorie, Tiffany, Patty, and Rebecca. The importance of the role these women play in the daily functioning of the school contributes to why Karen’s kindness towards others leaves such an impression.
“She is a very caring person. She shows interest in conveying conversations with us.”
A statement made by sophomore KaylaAnn Kandy.
Karen Lauth grew up in Levittown, Pennsylvania, having graduated in 1972. Karen’s husband grew up here in Jim Thorpe, which he left in 1973, the same time she left Levittown. He was stationed at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, which they left because he was sent to Korea. During her husband’s service, Karen and he got to see various places, such as Alaska, Maryland, and North Carolina. Her husband’s last deployment was to Fort Bragg, now Fort Liberty, North Carolina. Karen took multiple career paths prior to two years ago, when she began working as part of the cafeteria staff here at JTAHS. She was an assistant manager at Dunkin Donuts, spent 10 years as an EMT, and was an assistant gold buyer at Freeman Jewelers for eighteen years. Karen and her husband had three children, one of which is a son who serves in the Air Force and currently resides in Florida. Following the birth of their daughter in 1981, the couple settled in Jim Thorpe, which is where all of their children graduated. Karen and her husband now have five grandchildren, who she loves more than anything.
As a rule of thumb, we should always show appreciation to those around us, but especially given the speed of Thanksgiving’s approach, we should all try to show extra kindness and gratitude. Next time you walk past someone you know, give a smile and ask how he or she is doing. Next time you buy something from Karen at concession, make sure to reciprocate her warmth and thank her for her help.
If there is a faculty member that you believe goes above and beyond that you want to see acknowledged in an article, share the name and contact information of this person with gabriella.cerra@jtasd.org.
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