For years, not all students in CCSD have been able to eat free. It was only during the COVID pandemic lockdown and the phase-in back-to-school season that every student was able to get meals at no cost. In the 2022-2023 school year, schools regained their routines and organization, and prices for breakfast and lunch went back up for those in certain wage gaps.

However, the gaps were not fair. Last year, I wasn’t qualified for the free and reduced lunch program. As a single parent, my dad was not in the wage guidelines. I’m sure I’m not the only person that was impacted by this. Like myself, not every student has the food or time to make a home meal and bring it to school or the money to buy food every day. This led to a lot of us not eating or asking our friends who were on the free or reduced lunch program, who didn’t use it often for themselves, to get lunch for us.

This year, though, things have changed. As stated from the Smoky Hill home page, “All students in Cherry Creek School District will have access to free healthy, nutritious school meals beginning in the 2023-24 school year thanks to the Health School Meals for All program approved by Colorado voters.”

I spoke with the Smoky Hill kitchen manager, Remi Williams. Williams said that since last year, the number in students getting lunch has increased by about 200.

Let’s hope that with time, more kids will take advantage of the new privilege.

Finding out this news felt great. Knowing that so many parents and legal voters agreed with me that students should have the availability and option of free lunch was such a relief to hear. All we needed was enough people saying ‘Yes, our children should get to eat’. Now, thanks to them and the Health School Meals for All program, we can.