Wake County Schools Boost Nutrition with Free Meals Available
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Wake County Schools in North Carolina will offer free breakfast, and in some cases lunch, to thousands of students next school year. The program, funded by the USDA, was introduced due to concerns about food insecurity among students, with current district policy stating that students who cannot afford lunch receive only fruit and vegetables. Teachers believe the program will positively impact student success by ensuring all students are properly fed, preventing issues such as hunger-related distraction or fatigue.
Free Meals for Students at Wake County Schools
In a positive turn of events for Wake County Schools, it’s announced that thousands of students will receive free breakfast or both meals in the upcoming academic year. The decision comes as a relief to many, shedding light on food insecurity, an issue often overlooked in educational institutions.
Beaverdam Elementary School teachers, Delaney Waugh Keen and Erin Windley, expressed their surprise upon learning about the food insecurities faced by their students. They voiced their concerns to the school board, revealing how students without lunch money were given only a fruit and a vegetable instead of a proper meal, leading to embarrassment and stress, especially during testing periods.
Waugh Keen and Windley even kept extra money in their classrooms for students who didn’t have any, often covering the cost of their meals for the day. “They were embarrassed… and especially through testing, I heard that several of the upper-grade students who this was happening to…were really stressed out throughout testing because they weren’t sure if they were going to be able to eat,” said Waugh Keen.
The teachers’ efforts have not been in vain. Beaverdam Elementary School is among the 28 schools that have qualified for a USDA program. This program permits the school to provide breakfast and lunch to all its students at no cost. “I feel really excited. I’m looking forward to seeing the policy enacted,” expressed Waugh Keen.
Both teachers firmly believe that the program will significantly contribute to student success. They’ve observed students falling asleep or shedding tears because of hunger. Windley stated, “I’ve seen them complain after lunch saying they only had a fruit or a vegetable, and they’re still hungry. So I know that that’s something that will definitely increase there, you know, academics and them paying attention and then just having a great time at school.”
For further information on schools that qualified for the program, click here.
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