School Lunch Hero: Hughette Bonnette’s recipe for 30 years of serving hearts & meals in Bulloch County

Bulloch County Schools celebrated National School Lunch Hero day May 2. “It’s a time to celebrate the more than 100 School Nutrition staff across the district’s 15 schools, but in Portal, you’ll find one with a legacy of love, kindness, and dedication wrapped in an apron and a smile”. 

Hughette Bonnette, cafeteria manager at Portal Middle High School and a 30-year veteran of Bulloch County’s School Nutrition Services, isn’t just feeding nearly 500 students every day. She’s nurturing students’ hearts and character.

“When I started, there were no computers—I did all of our food ordering and everything by hand,” Bonnette recalled, reflecting on her early days in the kitchen. Now, with decades of change behind her, one thing remains constant: her dedicated mission to serve the whole child.

“She means the world to the Portal school community,” said Portal Assistant Principal Justin Chester, who, as a student himself, once enjoyed Bonnette’s meals. Today, his own children line up for the same nourishing food and kindness she serves. “She’s always stood out because of how dedicated she is to making folks happy. She’s worked tirelessly to ensure students and staff have good quality food options.”

“Justin Chester and Brantley Spence, a teacher at Portal, are some of the students that I remember from years ago,” Bonnette said.

Bonnette has made the cafeteria more than a place to eat. It’s a place for students to feel seen. From seasonal table decorations that make meal time feel like a family meal, to the motivational quotes she places and changes out frequently along the serving lines—signs with messages like “Don’t just wish for it; Work for it” and “The secret of getting ahead is getting started”—Bonnette creates an environment that feeds more than hunger.

Sometimes, she’s also a listening ear. Other times, she’s a shoulder to cry on.

“Students will wait and purposefully get at the end of the line just so they can ask me for a hug,” Bonnette said. “That means a great deal to me. I don’t know what they’re going through, but I want to be there for them.”

With Bonnette it’s about connection. She makes a point to thank students for coming to eat the meals that she and her staff have prepared, and she notices and congratulates students for their achievements.

Read more about Portal Middle High School’s Hughette Bonnette HERE