Have you ever been in class, stomach grumbling, and could use a snack to boost your energy for the long day of school?

Prevention and wellness coordinator Jenny Andersen came up with the idea back in 2018. It was originally called the “MidKNIGHT Snack.” It was brought together by students noticing kids who were hungry throughout the day and couldn’t afford a snack, or left their wallets at home would have to go through the day on an empty stomach.

“We wanted to do something to address this issue because not everyone has a home situation where they can afford a box of granola bars. We also noticed that some kids weren’t always marginally housed. This was a way for students in need could access the food they needed,” Andersen said.

Students absolutely loved that the kids were grabbing snacks and seemed to be satisfied with the selection of food. But who picks out the food that’s offered and how is it all funded? That must be a lot of snacks.

Mrs. Andersen and the whole Knights Way group got these snacks through a grant from a local foundation that supports students in need and helps prevent students from using drugs.

“Their foundation is built on a history behind Mrs. Goodman who passed away from an accidental drug overdose, so their goal is to keep students away from substance abuse, and research shows that students who are more connected to school are less likely to be in the spotlight of using drugs and being able to provide basic needs helps tie kids to the school,” Andersen said.

They also had huge support from staff at the beginning of the school year with teachers doing a huge food drive for tickets to participate in activities and win prizes. Many other programs within the building did food drives to help provide supplies for the Snack Castle too. Mrs. Andersen also said they had the Choices program and Student Council and others who helped provide.

Luckily, the grant the foundation gave doesn’t limit what the school can and can’t buy, which means students are open to a variety of options to choose from based on what students are requesting.