Naimah Pierce

CAHS AND OHIO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION 

I am writing today as a concerned student who strongly believes that the health and well-being of my schoolmates should be a top priority in our school system. The school lunches haven’t been the best and needs to be improved. One key approach to enhance your school lunch program is to prioritize the inclusion of fresh locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. This not only ensures higher nutritional value but also supports our local communities and gets them involved with helping kids in need. Which if powerful enough, can encourage and influence greater help for other districts as well.

Introducing a wider variety of fruits and vegetables in the menu, vegetarian or plant-based options can cater to diverse, dietary preferences and promote healthier choices. Improving school lunches for low-income students is a crucial aspect of any school lunch program. I think you should ensure that all eligible low-income students have access to free or reduced-priced meals and simplify the application process for signing up for programs that do just that. Other schools should promote those programs as well because kids are hungry and promoting these programs/regulating them will reduce the stigma.

Timeline:

Years 1–2

• Establish a school nutrition committee consisting of parents, students, teachers, and nutritional experts, to assess and provide for the current lunch program.

• Conduct surveys and get opinions/feedback on the food from teachers, parents, and of course students.

• Research and gather local suppliers for fresh ingredients and negotiate contracts.

• Begin programs for introducing locally sourced ingredients and reducing processed foods.

• Analyze programs and adjust menu based on feedback.

• Collaborate with nutritionists to create a balance in meal options.

• Implement a new and improved healthy menu.

Year 3

• Collect more feedback, make changes.

• Evaluate student health through surveys.

• Expand programs to include educational components(nutrition workshops)

• Create events celebrating healthy food choices to get students engaged and interested

Year 4

• Advocate for policy changes in helping low income families.

• Establish a student-lead committee focused on ensuring low-income students have a voice in menus.

• Create budget-friendly meal preparation.

• Continue to do all this in the future and more.