When a little boy at Bradford Area School District’s free summer lunch program learned that he and all other district students will be able to eat free breakfast and lunches at school over the next four years, he threw up his arms and cheered.

Amy Yohe, senior accountant with the school district and manager of the summer lunch program, said the free school-year meals over the next four years are a needed amenity for many children in the community.

“We’re going to be offering free breakfast and lunch to every student all year long during the school year,” Yohe explained, noting the measure was recently approved by the school board.

She said all district students are eligible for the federally funded Community Eligibility Provision program and do not need documentation to participate.

“Due to our poverty level in Bradford, we qualify to give everyone free” meals, Yohe continued. “We’re locked in for four years. Of course, if something happened to our poverty population … if it went down, we would perhaps go back to being paid” for the meals.

Yohe said students would be required to pay for a second lunch, or a la carte food that includes milk, chips or snacks. Fees for the extra lunch and snacks will vary between the elementary and secondary campuses due to calorie requirements. Breakfast will be distributed to students in different locations at each of the campuses.

“Each building has a unique setup for breakfast,” she added.

When contacted, Superintendent Katharine Pude said she is “absolutely thrilled that we are able to offer this program to our students and families.

“We all know how important having a nutritious breakfast and lunch is to student growth and their ability to learn,” she said. “Having this program available will eliminate all concern that students, regardless of their circumstances, will have access to food during the school day.”

Pude further noted, “Parents will no longer have to worry about the financial burden of providing lunch or be concerned about hectic mornings when students are running late and are forced to miss breakfast.

“It’s a win-win for all of our families and for all of our kids,” she concluded. “It’s going to be great.”

Yohe, who has managed the free summer lunch program for several years, said that program has attracted more children this summer than last year. Staff members Kristie Murray and Tiffany Lasher said the summer program, conducted between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. weekdays in the Bradford Area High School cafeteria, serves an average of 80 to 100 youngsters from infancy to 18 years old. Special needs individuals, up to the age of 21 and enrolled in extended school year programs, also participate in the summer lunch program. The summer program, which is also reimbursed through federal funds, provides nutritious hot and cold food to any and all children, no matter where they reside. This includes youngsters who are enrolled in the YMCA day care program at the high school.

Yohe said that while the summer program runs through Aug. 10, youngsters can look forward to free, nutritious food provided by the district a few weeks later when school begins.

A family that is happy with the summer lunch program, and equally pleased to learn of the free school-year meals, is Cindy Knight and her grandsons, Landon, 8, and Conner, 6. Landon cheered and said he was happy to hear about the free meals.

Knight added, “We’ve struggled to keep the amounts needed (in their lunch accounts) for their meals” so the program will help.