FAYETTEVILLE -- The summer lunch program at Holt Middle School is averaging about 400 free meals served each day, said Morgan Stout, the Fayetteville School District food service director.
The numbers are running about the same as in previous years when the program was at Owl Creek School in the southwest area of town. Holt is in the northwest corner of the district.
Stout said the program was moved because of maintenance work at Owl Creek as the school prepares to move to a continuous learning calendar in August.
Children from the Yvonne Richardson Center and the Boys & Girls Club and its School Kids Connection summer program at Holcomb and Butterfield Trail elementary schools have been taking advantage of the summer lunches. The program also serves the extended school year program for special needs children at Holt.
The program is open to any child or teenager, 18 and younger, Stout said. There is no paperwork or qualifications required for the lunches paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Similar summer lunch programs are served in other school districts around Northwest Arkansas.
Children on Tuesday munched on chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes and gravy, cornbread and peaches or oranges, said Sherrie Cook, food service manager. The cornbread was made from locally grown yellow squash, she said.
"Local produce is still very much in play," Stout said.
Right now, yellow squash and zucchini are being used in the meals. Melons and peaches will be coming out in the next few weeks, he said.
The program also provides afternoon snacks between 2 and 3 p.m. The snacks, which may be milk and graham crackers or an apple and string cheese, also are delivered to the Boys & Girls Club programs, Stout said.
Spencer Harkey, 10, Destiny Wentz, 9, and Tristan Hollingsworth, 8, gave the lunch a thumbs up.
"It's delicious," Tristan said. "It's beyond delicious."
NW News on 07/05/2014