Have you ever tried to concentrate with an empty stomach? Your tummy is growling, you may have a headache, you may feel nauseous or even a little dizzy. If you’re like many people, you’re also incredibly cranky, and the hungrier you are the worse it gets. I even know one woman who keeps her husband’s office supplied with snacks so that he can munch on something before he comes home from work!

Now imagine that you didn’t eat breakfast this morning, or dinner the night before, and you’ve been in school for an hour. Let’s say you’re eight years old, and you really don’t feel like listening to the teacher. Reading aloud seems impossible, and if they told you that 45 + 45 was 4,410 you’d agree without a thought, just to get past the numbers.

For thousands of children attending Michigan schools, the above scenario hits way too close to home. They come to school hungry, and actually look forward to eating in the cafeteria at any of the Michigan schools. They look forward to it because it may be the only hot meal they’ll get all day. Now, there aren’t any schools that will knowingly turn away a hungry child at the cafeteria counter; all children are entitled to lunch (and breakfast, depending on the situation). A large number of them even qualify for free or reduced-cost lunch.

Depending on a student’s family income, he or she can apply to receive free or reduced lunch. There are approximately 450,000 children attending Michigan schools who qualify for these benefits. But what happens to these children when school is not in session?

Michigan schools, led by the Michigan Department of Education, have instituted a program called the Summer Food Service Program for children attending Michigan schools and who come from low-income families. This service, which is available at schools, public housing, parks, churches, playgrounds and camps gives children up to 18 years of age a free meal every day throughout the summer break. Or, I should say, it tries too. It doesn’t have enough funding to feed all 450,000 kids each summer. In 2007, they were only able to take care of 14% of these students of Michigan schools.

The program is searching for sponsors to help. It is imperative that our children attending Michigan schools have enough food to eat. They need it to grow strong and healthy bodies, and they need it to grow strong and healthy minds. In order for the Michigan schools to turn out well-rounded, educated individuals into society, they need students who are prepared and ready to learn. Having a full stomach is the very basic requirement.

Maintaining the program throughout the summer months when classes are not in session is important. We want to maintain contact with these kids, and it’s imperative to send them the message that their Michigan schools care about them. They need to see that the schools and the communities are invested in them – that they want to make sure they are well-fed, both physically through meals and mentally through good educational experiences while attending Michigan schools.

Author Bio: Patricia Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit Michigan School Ratings – Private and Public.

Category: Education
Keywords: Michigan School Ratings – Private and Public, Michigan School Rankings – Private and Public