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A 16-year-old's survey filled her empty school cafeteria
She asked 4,000 classmates what was wrong. Someone actually listened.
Leslie Gomez Rivera skipped lunch rather than eat in the cafeteria at Midwood High in Brooklyn. She preferred the library, where she could talk with friends even if that meant eating nothing. Then she heard about Youth Food Advocates, a New York City program that trains students to research school food and push for changes. At 16, Rivera built a survey and circulated it across her 4,000-student school. About 100 answered. The verdict was more complicated than "bad." Popcorn chicken was a hit. So was fruit. Students also wanted the foods they ate at home. Rivera brought the findings to the cafeteria manager, who was surprised a student had arrived with organized feedback. "At the end of the day, this is what you guys are eating," he told her. The redesigned cafeteria reopened to full use. By December 2025, more than 200 cafeterias had been renovated, and participation rose 35 percent at redesigned high schools. Rivera's younger siblings now eat there. They find lunch more enjoyable.
