Golden School Foodservice Director of the Year Award
Jeff Denton

Silver Leadership Award
Arthur Dunham

Silver Spirit Award
Shana Wood, MS, RD, LD

Silver Rising Star Award
Susan Wenona Johnson

Silver Special Achievement Award
Sandra Voss, MS, RD, SNS

Silver Friend of Child Nutrition Award
Barry Sackin

Gertrude Applebaum Lifetime Achievement Award
Josephine Martin, PhD, RDN, LD

“Chef Jeff” is what the locals call him but in the national school nutrition world he’s a king known for his ability to collaborate. Jeff Denton has helped develop a 51% whole grain pizza crust and a Telly Award winning national kids’ cooking show. With customers, he focuses on creating trust, being very visible and receiving and responding to feedback. He persuades students to eat healthy through an understanding of food benefits and an opportunity to try new items. Last year alone, Jeff spoke at more than 150 different assemblies to encourage students to take responsibility for what they eat. It’s because of efforts like this that Jeff has increased fruit and vegetable consumption by 60% in the last four years and has a participation rate of more than 90% in all schools. He organizes a summer Junior Chef Camp, he’s authored a children’s book about fruits and vegetables entitled “Do Cows Eat Cake?”, and he serves on the Advisory Board of the Oklahoma State University Center for School Business Management. In addition to his tireless work in his district, Jeff has served four different terms as President and Legislative & Public Policy Chair for the Oklahoma SNA.