Navigating Freedom on an Empty Tank - Macy Smith

    High school is full of monumental, life-changing, “if not now, when?” moments. From the nerves of finding your classes and THEN trying to make friends with the kid your assigned seat is next to, to the first taste of freedom when curfew is extended by an hour or two. And, in the midst of all of this, your brain is still developing and changing every other day: it’s not a phase, mom. While it’s an exciting time, it’s also stressful. You enter a new school building, and all of a sudden, it feels like every responsibility you didn’t previously have to manage has been thrust upon you. Now, imagine navigating this much change and stress with the added anxiety of when your next meal will be. Imagine finally chasing after your football dreams but being unable to put on muscle because of the inconsistency of your meals, or getting to join the record-breaking chess team you’ve practiced for years in anticipation, but suddenly being unable to think clearly because your brain is lacking the proper nutrients. Unfortunately, this is a sad reality for many teens across the state. 

    Growing up in a rural area has allowed me to learn the importance of agriculture. However, it has also shown me the importance of accessible meals, like school lunches. Throughout my life, I have been privileged enough to never worry about having balanced meals. I typically packed my lunches, but when I forgot, it was easy enough to walk through the line in the cafeteria and grab my free lunch. By high school, we still had free breakfast, but free lunches had been eliminated. While a lunch that only costs a couple of bucks may not seem like much, that price made all the difference for some of my peers. Kids who previously ate their most nourishing meals at school five times a week now had to save a biscuit from breakfast to eat a few hours later. While fourth block algebra drags on and on, the solace previously provided by lunch was eliminated. Instead of a warm,comforting meal, a leftover biscuit or a bag of chips awaited. Though the county does provide free and reduced lunches by application, it wasn’t always that easy for some kids to have a parent sign something for them. Luckily, free lunches have been reinstated in recent years, but the period we were without them shed new light on the significance of easily attainable, healthy food. When $5 a day is that impactful, purchasing fresh produce and groceries is nearly unattainable. This is why programs like Battlefield Farms are so important. Battlefield Farms has already made such a difference in the community, and getting to be a part of their mission for even a brief time has been a true privilege. Adding just one meal with vitamin-rich produce could be the difference between being benched all season or getting to attend a dream school on a football scholarship. 

    The future of entire generations depends on the future of accessible, nutritious meals.