<p>More than half of students in Umatilla County qualify for free or reduced lunch.</p>

In school cafeterias, students move through a lunch line, selecting options and filling a plastic tray with pizza, salad and burritos. Like many others, one student scooped a heaping pile of carrots onto the round indentation on his tray and sat at a table, but as he ate, he stealthily slipped a few into his coat pocket with a smooth motion developed by months or years of practice.

Hunger is a problem in Umatilla County. 

During conversation, local educators described students who are homeless, families who live in single-bed motel rooms, students who have popcorn for dinner. 

In Umatilla County, 63.5 percent of public school students more than half qualify for free or reduced-cost school meals under the federal National School Lunch Program. Eligibility criteria hinge one one aspect: families who would be unable to provide a nutritious meal for their children.

For the 2011-12 school year, a family of four must make less than $41,348 to qualify for reduced-price meals. To qualify for free meals, that same family must make less than $29,055 a year. In addition to income guidelines, families that qualify for Oregons Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program better know as SNAP or food stamps are automatically qualified for free or reduced lunch, as is a child or family that is homeless, living out of a hotel or living at someone elses residence.

Across Umatilla County, the bulk of qualifying students fall into the free category.

In the 2010-11 school year, the most recent data available from the Oregon Department of Education, 2,724 students in the Hermiston School District were eligible for free lunch, about 53 percent of the district population. As of Tuesday, 51.49 percent of Hermiston students qualified for free meals; another 7.25 percent were eligible for reduced-cost.

Its a critical need for us, Mike Kay, Hermiston director of Support Services, said. A huge part of what we do as a district is providing meals.

The numbers are similar for other local districts. In Echo, 51 percent of students qualified for free or reduced lunch in 2010-11. In Stanfield, the number was 76.3 percent. In Umatilla, 83.5 percent of students were eligible for free or reduced lunch.

In January, Umatillas percentage hovered around 82 percent.

Its a problem, said Guy Jager, Umatillas Child Nutrition Director. Food intake is a basic need. Studies show that a child who eats a breakfast will do better on a test, and kids that arent suffering from hunger have a tendency to pay better attention to teachers and instruction. I just cant imagine a child knowing hes going to spend all day in school with expectations hes supposed to meet when all he can think about is something to eat.

Not all families who are eligible apply for the services, however, perhaps because they do not know how to apply or pride prevents it. Last year, 3,171 Hermiston students were eligible for free or reduced lunch. In January, about 3,110 students were actively enrolled in the programs.

In Hermiston, elementary schools offer students three meal choices daily: a homestyle meal, such as pasta or chicken noodle soup; a salad or sandwich; and a kid favorite, such as pizza or chicken nuggets. Before leaving the kitchen, food services staff makes sure every student has at least three things on their tray, and all students can also visit the salad bar. The same options are served at all district elementary schools.

On average, the district serves about 4,400 meals a day, including about 2,900 lunches and 1,135 breakfasts, as well as other a la cart options. 

Theres no way to identify whos on free or whos paying, Kay said. For the most part, our free and reduced program really helps fit a need in our community. Its one of the really good things weve been able to do. All the research indicates if you arent eating properly, youre not maximizing student potential.

To work around that need, staff at Umatilla schools have also spent professional development time on learning strategies for students of poverty. Those classroom strategies such as vocabulary development and the opportunity to retake exams have already shown increases in student academic success.

But although students are fed at school breakfast, lunch and, with some afterschool options, dinner they may not receive nutrition at home or during the summer. In response, local communities, including Hermiston and Umatilla, offer free summer feeding programs, and the Agape House Weekend Backpack Program feeds 120-140 elementary-age children each week in western Umatilla County. In that program, eligible students receive a backpack filled with nonperishable items, such as cans of soup or containers of juice, to make sure they have nutritious food while at home. 

We began the program at the request of a principal in town, and it fits with our mission of serving those in need. We hear from both teachers and parents that the program is making an impact on students. They’re much better learners with full tummies,?Agape House director Dave Hughes said Thursday. Feeding people is important, but the real neat thing is if we can help them learn at this age, they’ll learn and become good citizens and we won’t have to serve them later in life.

Schools nominate students for the backpack program, and volunteer organizations pick up bags from Agape House and deliver them to schools. As a nonprofit, the Agape House program is funded through donations. For example, the Hermiston Elks recently donated $2,000 to the program, and Sandstone Middle Schools leadership program donated 15 backpacks.

This is something weve done for the past four years, and well keep doing it while we have backpacks, Sandstone Leadership advisor Sandy Wise said Wednesday. There are kids who eat during school and then go home to nothing.

Oregon lawmakers continue to work toward changing Oregons educational philosophy, including nutritional guidelines. Next year, regulations will require schools to serve more whole grains, whole foods and fresh vegetables, as well as mandating students take at least one fruit or vegetable.

The focus on everything right now is to improve the nutrition and health and quality of education to make our kids more successful so we can compete globally, Jager said. Statistics show schools in high poverty have done worse academically. This is one way to offer children in low-income families at the least the nutrition to stand on equal footing with a family that can feed their children. A basic need for any student to succeed mentally, socially, academically is a full tummy.