Zelie Nogueria has four of her grandchildren currently attending Brock Elliott Elementary School.
No doubt, she wouldn’t miss the opportunity to dine with a few of them at the first-ever Lunch with Grandparents event at the school.
“I like it,” said Nogueria, who was finishing up her cafeteria-takeout turkey and gravy lunch with her granddaughter Kaily Loehrer, a third-grade student in Sabrina Soares’ third-grade class.
Loehrer was thrilled to have some one-on-one time with her grandmother while enjoying turkey and gravy, which, by the way, got the ‘thumbs-up’ from her in terms of taste.
Earlier, Nogueria shared lunch with her grandson Wesley Kelley, who is a first grader at Brock Elliott.
The program for kindergarten- through- third- grade students was the brainchild of Vice Principal Heather Thomson, who had 110 grandparents RSVP for lunch.
“They not only got to see (the school) where their grandchildren attend but also the classroom while spending some quality time,” she said.
Grandparents were provided the flexibility to bring food from home or their favorite fast-food choice not to mention the cafeteria takeout.
Third grader Vincent Garcia, as always, brought his lunch. This time, he got to share some of it with grandparents’ Sylvia Hostnick and Tom Ross.
“I forgot today was (lunch with) grandparent day,” said Garcia, who munched on some McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets with Hostnick and Ross.
His lunch box was also filled with a Smuckers Uncrustable, banana bread and a chocolate chip cookie.

To contact reporter Vince Rembulat, e-mail vrembulat@mantecabulletin.com.