The Newport Naval Base is always humming with activity, with students and soldiers putting in long hours on busy days. With all their hard work, the base's cafeteria remains up and running, serving hot meals to patrons to recharge and refuel--and along with the food comes kindness of the cafeteria staff. One such happy employee, always smiling, is Brittney!

Since last July, Brittney has been working three days a week at the base's cafeteria, serving up smiles alongside the meals and keeping the dining room and kitchen clean. She learned about the job opportunity while working with Perspectives Employment Services, and it seemed like a perfect fit--a place where she could work as part of a team and improve her social skills with the patrons.

"I used to be a lot shyer than I am now," says Brittney. "It was hard to talk to new people, but now I'm a lot better at it thanks to working with my team and our patrons."

Along with gaining the confidence to talk to new people, Brittney is also doing fantastic on the team. Recently, she was recognized for her hard work by her supervisor with an Employee of the Month award, along with much praise; the supervisor insisted that she wished she "had ten Brittneys" working on the floor. With this being Brittney's first job, she's excited to be part of a team that encourages her and values her contributions!

Brittney says with a smile, "It's really nice working at the cafeteria. Everyone is so nice, both the patrons and my coworkers. My favorite part is definitely getting to serve the patrons and talk to them!"

When not at work, Brittney is out enjoying her time in nature, with walks on the beach and around local nature trails. The fresh air and the nature scenery are perfect ways for her to unwind after a busy day, and so is spending time with her younger brother at home; Brittney watches him while her parents are at work. On other days, she also loves heading out to eat and catch a movie with her friends. But her ultimate goal is to save up money for a trip to Florida; she's never been down to the orange state, and with all the attractions to see, Brittney's excited to one day check it out.

Until then, Brittney is enjoying her time working with the crew at the naval base's cafeteria, noting: "it's a really good place to work for anyone looking to work in food service. It's a great place full of kind people, and there's nothing I don't like about working there."

With Brittney adding a little extra sunshine to the base each shift, she's earned the respect and fondness of her patrons and coworkers. This is a place that makes her happy, and we're proud of her for all the great achievements she's made on her first job! Here's to Brittney continuing to strive for her goals and shine at the Newport Naval Base!