At Columbus Bishop Ready High School, students know her simply as “Ms. Amanda.” As the director of food service, Amanda Blaine is a familiar and trusted presence in the lunchroom, greeting students by name, offering encouragement, and making sure every student feels welcomed, seen and cared for.

Her journey to Bishop Ready has been guided by both skill and heart. Ms. Amanda began working in the food service industry at just 14 years old, landing her first job at a catering company in Columbus. She earned her culinary degree in 2010 and went on to work in restaurants, hotels and even on a food truck. Each stop along the way brought new lessons, from recipes and techniques to menu pricing and inventory management, but the most meaningful discovery was how much she loved building relationships with the people she cooked for.

That passion found a true home at Bishop Ready.

“Taking the job as the food service director at Bishop Ready has been a dream come true,” she shared. “It unites my passion for cooking and gives me an opportunity to connect with the community of students and faculty here.”

That connection deepened in a profound way through her leadership of the school’s participation in the Federal School Lunch Program. When Bishop Ready opted into the program during the 2022-2023 school year, Ms. Amanda committed herself to learning everything she could. Each year brought growth with more students qualifying, more funding secured and an expansion from lunch service to both breakfast and lunch.

Then, in the spring of 2025, she realized something remarkable: The school had reached the threshold to pursue universal free meals for all students.

Ms. Amanda ran cost analyses, researched federal reimbursement scenarios, examined participation trends and studied the potential for policy changes. After careful discernment — and a deep breath — she submitted the application.

“When I received the email from our Ohio Department of Education specialist, I had tears in my eyes,” she recalled. “I knew what this would mean for our families.”

While more than 170 students already qualified for free or reduced lunch, Ms. Amanda knew there were many others who fell just outside the income guidelines, faced language barriers or avoided applying due to stigma. She also understood that for many families, even a small reduction in household expenses could make a meaningful difference.

“School meals are an essential school supply, just like pencils, paper, books, iPads,” she explained. “I don’t know how we can ask our students to give their best effort academically when they’re wondering when or what they’ll eat next.”

Her instincts proved right. Since implementing universal free meals, participation has increased dramatically. Breakfast service has grown from about 20 students per day to up to 130–140 students on popular hot breakfast Thursdays. Lunch participation has soared from roughly 120 free or reduced meals to more than 300 meals served every single day.

“This is nothing short of amazing,” Ms. Amanda said. “It surpassed my wildest dreams for this program.”

Yet her service does not stop at the lunchroom doors. With the support of Principal Matt Brickner, Ms. Amanda continually looks for ways to live out the Gospel through action. Leftover food is donated regularly to Columbus Food Rescue, helping supply soup kitchens, food pantries and after-school snack programs throughout the community. She has also used the Bishop Ready kitchen to prepare meals for a nonprofit serving victims of human trafficking and is currently working to involve students in baking and delivering birthday cakes to children who might not otherwise receive one.

“My faith compels me to serve God’s people,” she shared. “I am grateful that those opportunities go beyond the walls of Bishop Ready.”