Local high school students proving essential for Covenant Living at the Holmstad

BATAVIA – Local high school students continue to provide essential services at Covenant Living at the Holmstad during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many of the 80 student employees work in dining services, and although restaurant-style dining has been suspended, they continue to provide meals via room service to the residents. The students help to deliver over 600 meals daily to residents throughout the community, according to a news release.

“This means every meal is packaged and delivered to every single apartment within our community,” stated Amanda Gosnell, executive director at Covenant Living at the Holmstad, in the news release. “The wait staff have found renewed passion and energy in their roles as delivery people, knowing how important the dining experience is to our residents’ overall quality of life.”

Natalie Ulaszek, a senior at Geneva High School, has worked at Covenant Living since January and has found the past month to be both more challenging and fulfilling than she could have imagined.

“I love coming into work every day because I love being able to make the residents smile. I also love being able to dress up in the different themes. Everyone here is so positive and supportive in this stressful time,” she stated in the news release.

The students have been adding special touches to each meal delivery, the release stated. They've shown up at the residents' doors in superhero costumes, and wore their Sunday best, along with bunny ears, while delivering 3-course meals on Easter.

“I'm so very proud of our students and dining service personnel overall,” said Jane Arndt, president of the Resident Council. “The ‘kids’ especially have had such a positive, cheerful attitude and even behind the masks, you can see their smiles and genuine concern. They made my Easter Sunday very special as they do every day.”