Sharlene Wong, SNS

Please share some of your K-12 school nutrition journey.

I came to my career in school nutrition by chance. After managing business and industry accounts at a food management company for several years, I was transferred to operate a school account for a district with no meal program—all the children brought homemade lunches! I threw myself into the position because I have always wanted to be a teacher, and this was an opportunity to work with children and teach nutrition education and healthy eating habits. I had a school garden and salad bar, offered a school version of a “Happy Meal,” and expanded the menu offerings in the late ‘80s early ‘90s, and I have been a proud SNA member since then.

What items would you put in a time capsule to be opened 100 years from now?

I would put seeds from local Hawaiian fruits and vegetables, the USDA Team Nutrition recipes we developed and a photo of our team. If those fruits and vegetables become extinct in 100 years, I hope someone will sow those seeds and rejuvenate them to recreate our recipes.

What has been your best vacation so far, and what is a future bucket-list destination?

I have had many beautiful vacations with school nutrition friends, traveling to Antarctica, Egypt, India and Morocco. But there are still many on my list, such as St. Petersburg, Russia; Machu Picchu in Peru and the Galapagos Islands.

What famous person would you like to spend a day with?

I would love to spend a day with Queen Lili’uokalani, the last Hawaiian monarch. I want to listen to her sing, dance hula, ride horseback with her and ask if she would do anything differently to prevent the overthrow of the monarchy and native Hawaiian rights.

What’s your favorite holiday?

My favorite holiday is King Kamehameha Day—a state holiday honoring King Kamehameha, who united all the islands. You will find lots of cultural events
celebrating our rich Hawaiian heritage, such as parades, arts and crafts shows and hula performances.

What do you do to cheer yourself up on a bad day?

I spend quality time with my dog binge-watching mysteries on Britbox, trying to figure out who the murderer is before the big reveal at the end!

Who most inspires you?

I am inspired by all my ancestors who came before me. They took risks to explore the islands, built lives here and taught me to strive to be “pono”—to live one’s life correctly and morally to achieve balance and equity with others and nature. When we are “pono,” we can sustain the group and leave the world a better place in the future.