Free lunch! How much has free lunch had an impact on Cleveland High School and has there been an increase?
Portland Public Schools announced on Aug. 12 that there would be free lunch and breakfast for the 2024-2025 school year. Free lunch was possible due to the expansion of federal eligibility and additional funds allocated by the state’s Student Success Act.
The menu consists of pizza every day with different options. PB&J and yogurt are an everyday option, as well as the burrito bar. But sometimes during the week, the menu will throw in other lunch options including chicken fillet sandwiches, cheeseburgers, Mozzarella breadsticks, turkey sandwiches, Teriyaki chicken with brown rice, Orange Chicken with brown rice, and Ethiopian simmer sauce with Chickpeas and brown rice.
There has also been a change to the milk policy. The PPS nutritions department says if students bring a home lunch and want milk, they must choose two other foods, such as fruits and vegetables, with no charge. Milk can no longer be purchased separately.
When looking at the lunch lines in the cafeteria and comparing it to last year, they seem almost the same. While some students did not have an opinion about free lunch, many students offered positive feedback.
Food service assistant Marybeth Bachman said there has been an increase of students attending school lunch each day by around 50 people, and an increase of 30-20 people for lunch.
Jude Lewis, a sophomore, said that he used to have to make lunches at home because his family did not want to pay for the lunch at school. But now that it’s free he can get the school lunch. He did have a complaint as he believes the lunch lines are too long and students have to rush to the lunch room.
One person (who preferred to stay anonymous) said that their parents had to mainly pay for the school lunch. Now that free lunch has been instituted, their family does not have to worry about another fee.
When comparing the lines from this year to last year, they look the same, but the policy has had a grand impact on the lives of many students. Now all of those students’ families will no longer have to pay for lunch. In case anyone forgets money or an at-home lunch, you can always go to the cafeteria for free food. While free lunch hasn’t impacted some students, other students have benefited greatly.
