THOMASVILLE, Ga. (WTXL) — On the first day of school, Thomas County kids dove into crafts, stories, and meals made to fuel learning—all at no cost to families.
- All 5,750 students in Thomas County School District receive free breakfast and lunch through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), now in its 11th year.
- Elementary students enjoyed activities like arts and crafts and a story about a nervous baby pigeon, while middle schoolers lined up for hot lunches like chicken and waffles and homemade pizza.
- Watch the video to see how parents can check school menus and allergy information.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
It's the first day of school and while teachers are managing new rosters, the lunchroom staff is getting ready to feed hundreds of students, free of charge.
"Ready? One, two, three, go. Go Jackets!," said Elementary school kids.
I'm seeing what's on the menu and what's on kids' minds as they kick off the school year.
I spent the morning checking in with the Thomas County School District, where more than 5,700 students are getting back in the groove.
At the elementary school, kids wasted no time diving into the fun: crafts, books, a little movie time, and plenty of hands-on activities to shake off those first-day jitters.
" I like to do the arts and crafts. It's my favorite activity to do. I play with a playdough. We made a goose. We ate some snacks differently," said Til Mashburn and Avery Smith, elementary kids.
But the biggest hit of the day?
A book about a baby pigeon who didn't want to go to school… until he finally gave it a try.
"And it's about him not wanting to go to school, but at the end, he got excited. And when he didn't want to go to school, he wanted to be a baby pigeom," said Mashburn and Smith.
After spending time with the little ones, I caught up with some older students over at Thomas County Middle School, just in time for lunch.
And nearly every student either had a tray in hand, or was lined up to grab one.
That's because of the Community Eligibility Provision, or CEP.
It means every student eats free, no applications, no hassle. Just show up, and you're fed.
"We hope that it makes it easy for parents, that it's just, they don't have to think about what, they don't have to pack a lunch for their kids. They can just send their kids to school and know that they are well-fed and taken care of," said Jeana Smith, school nutritionist.
Besides making mornings easier for parents, the program also saves money and gives kids real options.
We're talking everything from chicken and waffles to homemade pizza, along with grab-and-go salads, fruit, vegetables, and more.
" It's cost-effective, so it saves parents and families money when they don't have to pack a breakfast or a lunch for their student. And it also makes sure that they're getting the nutrients that they need to grow and learn," said Smith.
Parents can now check lunch menus and dietary info online.
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