Our next Staff Spotlight goes to our school chef, Erika Velasquez.
Ms. Erika joined the DCP family this past March, so we're really excited to have her on board with us for this whole year! Ms. Erika has plenty of experience working in the food industry since she was 16 years old. Ms. Erika and our DCP director collaborate on a couple of recipes to make sure our children receive delicious and nutritious meals.
"I love the staff and the environment here," Ms. Erika said. "They're all a family and love our children."
Cooking is Ms. Erika's destresser, so she loves what she does. The added bonus is when our children love her food and she knows that when the children ask for seconds!
"I make sure I finish all my work early in the kitchen so that I have time to stop by in the classrooms during their afternoon snack and spend a little more time with them," Ms. Erika said.
Ms. Erika is a mother of two boys, a 10-year-old and a 5-year-old. They love playing soccer in the evenings, going fishing, watching the sunset and watching movies together. She likes that working at DCP still allows her to spend time with her kids and have the same schedule as they do.
Like any mother, Ms. Erika's attention all goes to her boys, but she also makes sure she gets plenty of "me time". She likes to watch movies while having a Coke and Reese's Peanut butter cups, loves sleeping in and spending time with friends.