Episode 06
Episode Summary
In this episode of Cafeteria Confessions, we visit Scholarship Prep – Oceanside, a TK-8 public charter school serving over 600 students in Southern California. Principal Nicholas Sessions shares how the school overcomes the challenge of running a meal program without a kitchen, ensuring every student receives two nutritious meals each day.
We explore how stigma-free access to meals strengthens the school community, with students reflecting on their favorite dishes, least favorites, and how food impacts their day.
The episode also highlights the school’s student-led recycling and food waste initiatives, along with insights from Ramona, the school’s meal supervisor, who brings joy to the cafeteria and helps build healthy habits that extend beyond campus.
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About the Guest
Dr. Nicholas Sessions brings over 15 years of experience in public education, including college instruction, secondary teaching, and charter school leadership. He began his career teaching college writing after earning a B.A. and M.A. in English from Kansas State University, later joining Teach For America in Las Vegas while completing an M.Ed. at UNLV. He recently earned an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from CSU Fullerton.
He has held leadership roles across multiple organizations, most notably serving as Principal and Executive Director at Edward B. Cole Sr. Academy. Now Principal at Scholarship Prep Oceanside, Dr. Sessions focuses on instructional quality, collaboration, and community engagement—efforts that have driven notable enrollment growth. His diverse global upbringing continues to shape his commitment to education and service.
You can listen to Cafeteria Confessions: Serving Up Stories from Lunchrooms Nationwide on you favorite podcast platform:
