Easton Area School District, PA Team Hosts Lunch with Leadership for National Leadership Day
The Whitsons team in Easton Area School District, PA recently helped welcome more than 80 community leaders to the cafeteria for National Leadership Day 2025, using Whitsons’ Lunch with Leadership program to connect students with community leaders who came to serve lunch and promote the importance of leadership skills to the students of Cheston Elementary School.
#NationalLeadershipDay is a day that celebrates the power of leadership and the impact that leaders make in people’s lives as they seek to develop themselves and others. Whitsons’ Lunch with Leadership program connects school, district, and community leaders to the school lunch program by welcoming them behind the serving lines to serve school lunch to students and make positive connections with them. For Cory Goldfarb, District Manager, and Matthew Martinez, General Manager, combining National Leadership Day 2025 with Lunch with Leadership was a natural fit.
Stephen Schleig, Cheston Elementary School Resource Officer, organizes the annual event that brings community leaders to all lunch waves on National Leadership Day. As someone who grew up in Easton and attended Cheston Elementary, Officer Schleig is passionate about using the event as an opportunity to show students what it means to be a community leader and rally together as a larger community team to provide them with a bright future of opportunities to themselves become community leaders. In addition to the benefit of connecting students to hear from leaders in their community, the day is meant to show appreciation for all they do for the Easton community.
This year, Cory and Matthew implemented Whitsons’ Lunch with Leadership program into the event by partnering with Pino’s Pizza, a local community restaurant, to provide pizza to every student as part of their school lunch. Along with various slices of Pino’s Pizza, community leaders served the students a menu that included: Whole Grain Dinner Rolls, Fresh Baby Carrots, Fresh Apple Slices, Skinny Pop Popcorn (donated by Hershey’s), Italian Ice Blueberry & Cherry “Rushes”, along with the usual everyday options of Caesar Salad, Chicken Caesar Wraps, Cheeseburgers, and Mixed Vegetables.
“I am so proud and honored that Whitsons is able to partner with the Easton Area School District to provide these students with an opportunity to see true leadership,” said Cory. “We look forward to expanding this event each and every year and the opportunity to give back to our community.”
Leaders included professional leaders like area police officers, lawyers, and elected officials, as well as student leaders like the Easton High School Student-Athlete Character Council a group from Easton high Student Athlete Character Council.
