Some students opt for hunger over free or reduced lunches

By Kayla Gahagan, Journal staff | Thursday, September 25, 2008

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It's hard to concentrate on math equations when your stomach is growling, Central High School assistant principal Steve Vernon said.

And that is exactly what is happening to some students at Central who are not getting breakfast and then skipping lunch as well, school administrators say. Many of the students are eligible for free and reduced-cost lunches under federal U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, but their parents have not signed off on the application.

As many as 50 students at Central are eligible for free or reduced lunches but are going without, Vernon said. Those estimates are based on interactions with students who have identified themselves as eligible for programs but whose parents haven't signed up for it.

The cost of a regular lunch at Central is $2.15. A reduced lunch is $0.40.

"They just aren't getting fed, and that's tough."

Principal Mike Talley said the school has a student meal contingency fund that the public can donate to, but it is running dry. Several school administrators have chipped in money from their own pockets to help feed some of the kids.

"On one hand, you want to hold the parents and the students accountable," Talley said. "But when a student is standing in front of you, looking you in the eye, and they're hungry, you can't turn them down."

Worrying about a stigma or being unaware of the program could be factors affecting the parents who do not enroll in it, Vernon said.

"There's a pride factor," he said.

Sandra Kangas, supervisor of Child & Adult Nutrition Services at South Dakota's Department of Education, understands the concern but said parents shouldn't hesitate to sign up.

"Schools work hard to make sure there is no way that you can tell who is who," she said.

Students on free and reduced lunch use the same card as other kids, she said.

"They all have to look the same," she said.

Marie Olson, food services supervisor for the school district, said about 4,000 students district-wide participate in the program.

"It's a great benefit to households, and we encourage them to apply," she said.

Mike Deming, assistant principal at North Middle School, said a majority of the school's students -- 86 percent -- are on free and reduced lunches. They eat the same meals as other students.

"We believe strongly that no kid will be denied a lunch," he said. "We buy lunches all the time."

Because so many students come from low-income families, there is a sense that "everyone is in the same boat," he said. "Everyone knows everyone's poor, so it's not an issue."

It's about how you treat people, he said.

"When you deal with poverty, some needs aren't met, and the school must take on that role," he said. "A kid can't learn very well if he's hungry. ... We say, 'Here, eat a bowl of cereal and go on to class.' We don't make it an issue."

Kangas said that although pride might play a role for some families not participating, there are a variety of other contributing factors.

Some families might not be aware that they qualify, she said.

According to the USDA, a family of four is considered in poverty if the household's annual income is less than $21,200 a year. Eligibility for free and reduced lunches depends on monthly income. A monthly income between $2,298 and $3,269 constitutes eligibility for reduced lunches, and an income at or below $2,297 designates eligibility for free lunches.

Statewide, the Education Department reported that 38 percent of students in 2007-08 were eligible for free or reduced lunches.

Other local school officials, including Stevens High School Principal John Julius, said they haven't seen an issue with parents being reluctant to sign.

But for the families choosing not to participate this year, Kangas said, it might be a matter of open campus. In Rapid City, 11th- and 12th-graders can leave school facilities during lunch.

"They don't want to eat at school, so they don't ask their parents," she said.

Also, some students have jobs, she said, and choose to use their own money to buy off-campus meals.

Either way, registered dietician Amy Richards, a team nutrition and training coordinator for the South Dakota Department of Education, said research shows that students who do not eat well-balanced meals do not do well academically.

"Getting a good, healthy breakfast and lunch helps the students in multiple ways," she said. "They do well in school, and long term, it helps them live a healthy life."

The brain needs nutrition and carbohydrates for the energy it takes to think clearly, she said. Milk, fruit and bread with a good source of grain are the best options for breakfast.

"They will give you energy to carry you through the day," she said.

Vernon said school counselors will be calling the families who haven't signed up and also will send applications to their homes.

Talley said the school will do what it can to educate and encourage parents to take advantage of the meal support program.

It's difficult to sit in class when you're hungry, Vernon said.

"That's a constant reminder of what you're lacking," he said.

Contact Kayla Gahagan at 394-8410 or kayla.gahagan@rapidcityjournal.com