Xavier Prep students go in-depth on food access as part of Summit Week
Students at Xavier Prep are going in-depth on food access and insecurity as part of its annual Summit Week, where they will hear from various speakers.
They’re listening to remarks- from former state Secretary of Agriculture A.G. Kawamura , discussing the importance of food access from a societal standpoint.
“Our state and our country. We have the capacity to feed everybody. We have plenty of food, but we don’t have the will to do that, ” Kawamura said.
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His presentation is part of the school’s Summit on Human Dignity focusing on the topic of food. Students say the topic is eye-opening.
“We can just get it whenever we want. we ‘re able to do that, but compared to other countries they can’t,” Olivia Thompson, a senior, said.
Kawamura explains food access affects health and livelihood, and can lessen social strife. He estimates as many as 20 percent of children in the state are at risk of food insecurity. Students say stats like that paints a picture in their minds.
“With all the sports and stuff that everyone does here, we get hungry pretty quickly and if we couldn’t that’d be pretty crazy and our bodies are used to eating whenever we want so it would be so different,” Kyle Cenicola , a senior, said.
Kawamura says food banks can help bridge any potential gaps in access by working with local farmers or growing their own food.
“Between making sure food is accessible. That a nutrient dense diet might be delivered, ” he said.
Students say it’s making them more aware about food issues.
“We always know like, that some people may not have this, so they’re grateful for it. Now, we’ re realizing how bigger it is, ” Cenicola said.
There will be different keynote speakers this week at the school, including Debbie Espinosa, president and CEO of the FIND Food Bank.
