During the pandemic, public schools provided free meals to every student, regardless of their family’s ability to pay. But when that federal program ended in 2022, school meal debt in Kansas skyrocketed beyond pre-pandemic levels. In the Valley Center school district, one sixth-grader is organizing an effort to pay off other students’ lunch tabs … with a goal to end meal debt there entirely. Daniel Caudill reports.
Also, if you’ve ever attended a symphony performance, you might notice a code of conduct that the audience is expected to follow. One organizer is looking to loosen these rules with relaxed events that make chamber music more accessible. Hugo Phan has more on this month’s Culture Pop.
