For many high school students, the cafeteria is a place to avoid. Leslie Gomez Rivera, a student at Midwood High School in Brooklyn, used to skip the cafeteria entirely. Facing unappealing food, a chaotic environment, and a lingering stigma associated with eating school meals, she often preferred spending her lunch period in the library—even if it meant going without food altogether.
Everything changed when Rivera discovered Youth Food Advocates (YFA), an empowering initiative that trains New York City students to investigate school food challenges and advocate for meaningful, positive change. Realizing she had the power to make a difference, the 16-year-old took action to improve the daily lunch experience for herself and her peers.
Empowering Student Voices Through Surveys
With guidance from YFA, Rivera designed a comprehensive survey and distributed it throughout Midwood High. Her goal was simple yet impactful: discover what students actually wanted to eat, understand why they avoided the cafeteria, and find out what would encourage them to return.
- Gathering Peer Feedback: Rivera collected insights directly from fellow students to understand their culinary preferences.
- Identifying Favorites: Survey participants highlighted popular items like popcorn chicken, fresh fruit, and salads.
- Highlighting Concerns: Students openly shared their thoughts on food quality, limited menu variety, and the desire for more culturally diverse meal options from home.
Building a Better Cafeteria Experience
While New York City had previously made school lunch free for all public school students following years of dedicated youth-led advocacy, organizers recognized that free meals alone were not enough. True progress meant ensuring the food was both appetizing and served in a welcoming environment where students felt comfortable spending their time.
Through initiatives like Youth Food Advocates, young leaders are proving that student voices are essential in creating healthier, happier, and more inclusive school communities. By speaking up, students like Rivera are successfully reshaping the future of school lunch for thousands of their peers.
