A Healthy Start and a Healthy Future

Currently, under the federal free lunch program, children of families with an income level below 130 percent of the poverty line qualify for free school meals. In addition, children from families with incomes between 130 percent and 185 percent qualify for reduced meals.  As of 2011,  57.7% of Georgia's student population qualified for free and/or reduced lunch.  (National Center for Educational Statistics, 2012).  There is little doubt that this number, representing a 14% increase since 2000, has been spurred on by the nation's recent economic crises. 

A Georgia Representative recently proposed that in exchange for free or reduced school lunch, students should work in their school's building, performing manual labor tasks such as, sweeping, mopping, cleaning, etc. While probably not the Representative's intent, this proposal seems to have a punitive feel.  It could be surmised from the proposed suggestion for schools' actions regarding their students who qualify for free and reduced lunch that the solution to childhood poverty is punishment of the impoverished child.  Furthermore, the proposal could be construed as a means of making the victims, the children impacted by poverty, appear to be offenders, who need to complete a type of restitution because of their impoverished state.

Regardless of your political affiliation and whether or not you agree with the Representative's proposal, the blaring issue at hand is the negative impact poverty has on students' ability to perform and succeed within the school setting. From a developmental science  point of view, the research is clear, poverty in early childhood has long term negative effects on brain development, and these negative effects can continue into school age and beyond (Luby, et al., .2013).  In addition, research has routinely shown the link between low achievement and lack of resources, as well as a relationship between low achievement and low socioeconomic status (Lacour & Tissington, 2011).  Consequently, in line with the prevailing research, the Communities in School (CIS) Model proposes that students will only achieve success if they receive the following 5 Basics:

1.  The First Basic:  A one-on-one relationship with a caring adult.
2. The Second Basic A safe place to learn and grow.
3. The Third Basic: A healthy start and a healthy future.
4. The Fourth Basic: A marketable skill to use upon graduation.
5. The Fifth Basic: A chance to give back to peers and community

Basic health and human services are essential for every child.  How can a child be expected to  concentrate in school if they are hungry or have basic health needs (mental and physical) that are unmet?  When whole families are in need and are unsure or unaware of how to connect to resources to get assistance, children suffer and success appears unattainable.

Communities in Schools (CIS)  is a conduit in which children and families are connected to necessary resources so that the family can succeed and children can progress in both their home and school environments.  As proposed by the Third Basic of the CIS Model, children need a healthy start for a healthy future.  This healthy start may include programs such as the  Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program, a CIS sponsored school Health Fair,  or CIS Mentoring programs, addressing social, emotional and academic needs.   Based upon the specific needs of a school, local affiliate chapters of Communities In Schools can provide the Third Basic by connecting students and families with health care, vision and dental exams, food programs, child care, teen pregnancy prevention programs, teen parenting resources, mental health services, substance abuse prevention and intervention, sports and recreation programs, etc. within the students' immediate community.  Implementation of CIS'  "Third Basic" can make a tremendous impact on students' success.   By providing a means for a healthy start, students and their families can break the cycle of poverty.  In turn, school systems will see a reduction of the number of families in need of programs such as the Federal Free Lunch Program.

When families succeed, students achieve!  We at Communities in Schools-Henry are in the business of empowering families by providing them with the means in which to reach the road to success.  By uplifting and empowering families, students are set on the pathway to achievement.

For more information on CIS-Henry contact us at:
Communities in Schools - Henry
70 Macon Street
McDonough, GA 30253
Phone: 678 432 4499
E-mail:  crystal.cohen@cis-henry.org
http://www.cis-henry.org/

Crystal Cohen is the Part-Time Site Coordinator at the Henry County Communities in School affiliate (CIS-Henry).  Her role at CIS-Henry includes coordinating services for students and their families, implementating and evaluating programs and activities based upon the specific needs of each assigned schools, and  disseminating information regarding evidence based practices that promote student achievement and parental engagement.  She is also a full-time graduate student at Clayton State University completing a Master's of Psychology degree,  Applied Developmental Science Track.  Her expected graduation date is Summer 2014.