While most kids were counting down to the last day of school, Yolanda Caban was dreading it. “What am I going to do for the summertime?” she asks, only half-kidding. “I’m not going to see my babies until September!”
Yolanda is a lunch monitor or “lunch mom” at Kenny Elementary School in Dorchester. Technically, it’s a part time position. But Yolanda also works-three days a week-in the before-school program. In that early period, she often plays “hair salon” with students who may have had to rush out of the house. She transforms “bed head” into stylish ponytails, buns, and braids. She describes herself as “a plain girl who does her own hair” and who enjoys helping students learn to do theirs. “It also helps out their moms,” she adds.
Breakfast Club, birthday program
Yolanda hosts a Breakfast Club on Friday mornings, spearheads a birthday program, and created a popular school store. Students earn Lunch Squad Paws (they’re the Kenny Wildcats) for good behavior, respect, and empathy. Once a month, they spend the Paws they have saved at a “store” stocked with chips, candies, stuffed animals, water bottles, socks and more. “I didn’t come up with a lot of things,” Yolanda explains, recalling her childhood. She tries to address disparities among the students-particularly when they share a friend group. “One child may have more than another child. So as an adult here at the Kenny, I have to make sure-if I have the resources-why not make a child happy?”
Making children happy seems to come naturally to Yolanda who constantly considers how to engage and motivate them. Principal Shereka King praises the tone Yolanda sets for the whole school. “I think that’s what makes her stand out,” King said. “She’s a creative soul and she pours so much love into our school community.”
This September will mark Yolanda’s four-year anniversary at the school. To watch her interact with students you would think she has worked at the school far longer. She arrived at the Kenny School slightly anxious about the environment and the work. She knew that she would love working with kids. She just wasn’t sure how much responsibility she could take on.
Survived brain aneurysm, stroke
The job at Kenny Elementary was Yolanda’s first position after she suffered a grand mal seizure. Doctors treating her for the seizure also discovered that she had survived a brain aneurysm and a stroke. At the time of the seizure, she was working with women and families at a shelter. Her doctors advised her to slow down which, she knew, wouldn’t be easy. Yolanda thrives on activity. A friend told her that Boston Public Schools needed lunch monitors. Yolanda applied and got the job. It did not take long for her to see that she was in the right place. “I fit right in and showed my joy and love to be around all the children,” she said.
One child, in particular appreciated that love at a critical time. Abigail Curran moved to Kenny Elementary from a smaller Catholic school in the fall of 2024. Her mother saved examples of her schoolwork from those early days in second grade, in which Abigail writes about feeling lonely. Miss Yolanda could see that Abigail was hurting. “I can see a group of kids having fun. But that one child that’s to the corner or had, like, a sad face. It draws me right to them,” she said.
“Wish I could giver her a million dollars”
Yolanda responded by getting to know Abigail-doing her hair and her nails-and spending time with her. She brought a portable speaker to the playground so they could dance. “All of a sudden, it’s her and Abigail dancing and then all the other kids join in too. “So, therefore, now Abigail is playing in a big group,” Corinne says, smiling. She explains that, nine months later, Yolanda is Abigail’s “person” and an unsung hero who looks out for kids who need a friend. “I wish I could give her a million dollars,” she explains, “What I can do for her is let the world know how important she is.”
For as long as she can remember, Yolanda has been a caregiver. As a child, she cared for her disabled brother. She worked her first job at 14. “That’s always been my thing. I love to help out,” she says as kids stream out of the school for recess. “I love to make sure everybody’s happy.”
