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BOGALUSA, La. – National School Lunch Week (NSLW) was celebrated from October 9-13, 2023, in Bogalusa and nationwide. The annual observance aims to promote the importance of a nutritious school lunch in a child’s life and its impact both inside and outside the classroom.

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) serves almost 30 million children every school day and plays a vital role in ensuring the health and well-being of all public school students. The program was introduced in 1946 to provide healthy meals to children from low-income families who lacked access to a daily meal. It helps reduce childhood hunger and supports American agriculture.

“Kids spend thousands of hours each year in school. This is where we must support healthy eating,” said Bogalusa City Schools Superintendent Byron Hurst. “A healthy midday meal is critical to the growth of children who attend school.”

The NSLW was established in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy to highlight the significance of a healthy school lunch in a child’s life. The event aims to boost student participation and spread the message to parents that schools serve healthy and delicious lunches.

At Central Elementary School, Lorene Randazzo, Supervisor of Child Nutrition, said the cafeteria staff knows all the children by name and tries to make their time eating one of the best parts of the day. “School lunches and snacks have a crucial role in the academic performance of youth by supplying the necessary fuel to succeed,” said Bogalusa High School Principal Eric Greely. “We want them to be focused and well in the classroom and at home.”

Assistant Manager of Nutrition Services at Bogalusa High School, Faye, said that when students don’t eat, they get sluggish. “Students need to eat breakfast and lunch to support healthy eating, and that’s what we are here to make happen.”

NSLW celebrates the importance of a nutritious school lunch and its effect within and beyond the classroom. With the NSLP serving almost 30 million children every school day nationwide and thousands in the parish, ensuring the health and well-being of American youth is a top priority.