Erika Pace started life in Corbett on NE 365th, located just off the Scenic Hwy. Her parents raised her with an older brother, and she spent the first 18 years of her life on the property.Being quite shy, Erika says she rareky spoke up, and loved to be outdoors with all her animals. The family raised cows, horses, ducks, pigs and chickens. Graduating from Corbett High in 1995, she went right back to the Corbett School District as an employee in January 1996 as a Kitchen Assistant. Erika went into the kitchen to work with four older ladies, helping make all lunches from scratch each school day. After graduation Erika not only started her career, she met her husband. Erika met Allen Pace, seven years her senior at the Springdale Bible Church in Corbett. Allen was also from Corbett. They married in 1997 and moved across the road from the Corbett Grade School on Cascade Utilities (Now Reliance Connects) property. Daughter Brittany was born in 1999 and son Christopher in 2001. It was in 2003 that they moved to a home on the end of Rohrbach Road in Corbett. They later moved to a home on Clara Smith Road, and just recently purchased a beautiful home in Gresham. The Culinary Arts Program started in Corbett in 2007. It was then Erika went to school to become a teacher, first earning her Bachelor's degree of Social Science and now she is just shy of graduating with her Master's of Education Degree. She will graduate July 2015! Erika has only taken 1.5 years off from work since she started in 1996. What has been the best part of her job thus far? Erika says that working with the children of kids she herself went to school with has been the best part. She says it is really special to get to know entire families and add value to their school experience. One of Erika's favorite changes that has taken place? "Coming back full circle to the HOMEMADE meals that were made when I first started in the kitchen in 1996." Husband Allen Pace was a bus driver and student aide three years ago at the Corbett Schools, but he has now moved into the kitchen! Prior Culinary Arts teacher, Jenny Radulusk has moved into the high school to teach, so Allen is stepping in to now work with Erika. Erika says this is ideal since Allen KNOWS the kitchen well and understands the process. Besides, Erika says they are best friends and work well together. At the school there are 6-700 meals prepared each school day and and everyone seems to love being in the kitchen as they learn and work together. Not only do they make breakfast and lunch for the students, they also make cookies for board meetings and staff dinners on conference evenings. Despite the hard work, everyone seems to be having FUN!
