(upbeat music) - Coming up next on "NewsDepth," Minnesota shares some data on the first year of their free school lunch program.

A Wisconsin school has a new tool that helps nonverbal kids make new friends.

An adaptive youth sled hockey team is filling the gap in the sport.

And we learn about Olympic star Jesse Owens, who was a force as an athlete and an activist.

"NewsDepth" is now.

(upbeat music) One year into the Minnesota Free School Meals Program, the state's leaders are defending the decision to go millions of dollars over budget to serve nearly 150 million meals to students.

Hello everybody, I'm Gabriel Kramer.

Thank you for joining us.

A handful of Minnesota leaders spent some time at a school cafeteria in Maple Grove, Minnesota.

They wanted to see firsthand how their free school lunch program is helping students in their state.

It comes as the first data into the first year of the Minnesota Free School Meals Program is released.

Adam Duxter has more on the numbers.

(students chattering) - [Adam] Call it serving in a different way.

Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan dishing out breakfast at Oakview Elementary in Maple Grove to mark one year of free meals.

- [Peggy] I never doubted that this program would change lives, but now we have the incredible data to be able to back it up.

- [Adam] If you're hungry for data, we've got it.

One year, 870,000 kids statewide, each one getting about 170 free meals.

That plates out to 150 million meals combined between breakfast and lunch.

- So that means that 150 million times in this past year where a student didn't have to go to class hungry or wonder where their next meal would come from.

- [Adam] Parents Wednesday satisfied.

- And so for me as a mom, it makes me, if they forget to eat breakfast at home, I know that they have an option to get it when they get to school.

- [Adam] The state says thanks to the plan, dinner at home can go a little further.

Parents saving about a thousand bucks a kid.

But critics are still taking bites out of the program, some districts opting out saying they'd prefer having more options, while other critics say the price of it all leaves a bad taste in their mouth.

267 million in just one year.

- We have made the decision that this is absolutely worth the investment.

- [Adam] 80 million over budget.

- We see that attendance numbers have gone up, and I think these investments in feeding children, nutrition, healthy development, when we think about what this means for the long-term overall success of our state, that is a price I think that Minnesotans are absolutely willing to pay.

- Thank you, Adam.

We want to know your opinion on the matter.

Should all schools give out a free lunch?

Discuss it with your peers and see which of your friends would agree or disagree with you.

Why do you think schools should offer free lunch, or why do you think students should bring their own lunch?

You can share your thoughts by sending us an email to newsdepth@ideastream.org.

All this lunch talk is making me a little hungry.

I wonder what's for lunch today?

Well, at a school cafeteria in Connecticut, students will soon be able to make a meal using a first-of-its-kind machine that represents an unlikely partnership between high-tech and salad.

Frank Recchia has more.

- [Frank] 33-year-old Keoma Steele is the Director of Nutrition for Bridgeport Public Schools.

- [Keoma] So I've always wanted to be a chef.

- [Frank] The proud culinary school grad worked as a chef in private schools throughout New England.

- [Keoma] I really get the chance to be innovative.

- [Frank] Before coming here, where he's in charge of making sure 20,000 kids are putting their best feet forward nutritionally.

- [Keoma] I enjoy what I do.

- [Frank] We met up with him here at Fairchild Wheeler.

- This is a great opportunity, a great journey because a lot of the students here, they do not have a chance to get a healthy meal - [Frank] Today, that journey took us inside the kitchen servery.

- I think this is the coolest machine I've ever seen.

- [Frank] Where Keoma showed off.

- I think healthy food is not healthy if it's being thrown in the garbage.

- [Frank] The new SerVeu Touchless Refrigerated Slide-in.

- So I'm gonna make a mixed green salad with cucumbers, so I'm gonna get some romaine lettuce.

- [Frank] What's marketed as a first-of-its-kind touchless salad bar.

So whether you're getting spring mix.

- [Keoma] Some spinach.

- [Frank] Or sunflower seeds, none of the ingredients which are kept at a uniform temperature.

- So I'm looking for lettuce.

- [Frank] To enhance food safety are ever touched or otherwise exposed before kids in this post-pandemic era end up eating them.

- It's a healthier option compared to old school salad bars because of cross-contamination.

- [Frank] And Bridgeport Public schools are the first in the Northeast to get the machines.

For Keoma, getting them up and running marks the successful completion of a major mission.

You could say the lettuce has landed.

- Seeing a touchless salad bar, I would make a salad just to see, and you never know, you may actually make that salad, that's your lunch for the day, you eat the salad and realize, I actually enjoy making a salad.

- Thanks, Frank.

Who knew cooking could be so much fun?

We all knew cooking can be a lot of fun.

I love cooking, and food in general is just a blast.

But did you know that it can also be educational?

Here's a type of hands-on learning that also makes your mouth water.

Culinary students at a Texas high school were asked to create new pizza recipes for a pizza contest.

Culinary means having to do with cooking or the kitchen.

With these new recipes, customers at a local pizzeria will decide the winner.

Nicole Nielsen has the story.

- [Nicole] It's a taste of delicious pizza, and of the real world.

- I love cooking so much.

I have like since I was a little kid.

- [Nicole] Students in Grapevine ISD's advanced culinary class were given one simple assignment, create a new pizza.

The class worked on three teams to develop three unique pies, the Maui Mobster, the OG Twist, and the Dawn Macalone.

- OG twist (indistinct) - I like the pineapple pizza the best.

Pineapple's my favorite on pizza.

- [Nicole] But the assignment wasn't just to get creative in the kitchen.

Students also calculated costs and pitched their ideas to Wise Guys Pizzeria in Grapevine, where one winning pizza was set to be featured.

But to their surprise, all of them made the cut.

- Put the bacon on it for you.

All of them were so great.

We decided that we were gonna let the guests decide.

- [Nicole] To celebrate, the class took a field trip to see their creations in action.

For some, it wasn't just an assignment, but a step toward their career.

- My dream is to own a restaurant.

- [Nicole] Now it's up to the customers to decide which one will come out on top.

Over the next six weeks, each pizza will rotate on the menu for two weeks, with sales determining the ultimate winner.

- There's always the friendly competition that's there as well.

- [Nicole] Their instructor, this project goes beyond cooking.

It's a full lesson in business, marketing, and real world problem solving.

- They actually start in principles of hospitality where they learn all about the restaurant industry, the ins and outs.

- [Nicole] And the best part, the students didn't just pass the assignment, they impressed the pros.

- Super excited to have these kids a part of the future story of Wise Guys Pizzeria.

- Thanks, Nicole.

Those pizzas looked so good, but let's move on.

I'm just making myself hungry at this point.

In Wisconsin, a school playground has a new tool to help nonverbal kids communicate better.

It allows them to connect with their peers no matter their speech level.

Ethan Krinke has the details.

- [Ethan] Nonverbal kids at Central Elementary School have tablets to use to communicate, but those are meant for indoors.

- I first thought I was outside at recess with some of our 4K students at the beginning of the year, and some of them have tablets or a communication device to help them speak, but it's really hard to carry that around while they're running around on the playground with their friends.

- [Ethan] The school speech therapist wanted to allow for communication on the playground as well.

So the school installed a speech board.

Kids started using it right away.

- The first day after I put it up on the playground, there's a window outside my office that overlooks the playground, and I saw two students going back and forth and kind of using it.

So that was really cool to see that the first day, I already saw kids using it.

- [Ethan] The board is most helpful to kids who are more shy and non-verbal.

This board makes it easier for them to meet fellow kids and make friends.

The board is based on having core words and fringe words to create messages.

- It's been really great because probably the coolest thing I've seen is we have some kids at school who are nonverbal, they don't speak, but I've seen kids who are nonverbal using the board to communicate with kids who do speak normally.

- [Ethan] The board also has alphabet and American sign Language symbols for all the letters.

The board was made by Talk to Me Technologies, which is a group dedicated to helping people with communication differences caused by things like autism, cerebral palsy, and down syndrome.

- It opens all kinds of doors so that we can have all these, you know, just it's a way for kids who don't use their voices, their words to communicate, to still be able to communicate and make friends when they're four and five years old.

- Oh, that's a great story.

Thank you, Ethan.

We just heard about some cool students across the country, but here at "NewsDepth," we love sharing stories about students from our state.

That's why every episode, we like to give out an A+ Award.

It's our way of sharing awesome news from all of you.

So what do you get when you combine everyone's two favorite things, games and breakfast?

If you said a domino chain of more than 200 cereal boxes down your school hallway, you'd be correct.

In the students in SMASH Collaborative, a club at Grant Elementary School in Lakewood, were up for the challenge.

That's why they're this week's A+ Award winners.

SMASH Collaborative is a group of third, fourth, and fifth grade students at Grant that do cool projects to help people in need.

The name came from the four teachers that run the program, Ms. Shields, Maasgras, Shwab, and Holland.

Along with 60 to 70 students from their classes, they organized a cereal drive to donate to charity.

They were able to bring in more than 200 boxes.

Half of the boxes went to the LCAC, and the other half went to Friends in Tents.

The two great charities they chose to work with mean a lot to the students at Grant.

Ms. Martsoff, who left Grant last year to teach at the middle school, has a charity called Friends in Tents, which is a boots on the ground organization that helps homeless people.

So they were more than glad to help.

And Jeff Warner with the Lakewood Charitable Assistance Corporation does all sorts of food drives to help families in the area.

SMASH's mission is to spread and encourage collaboration and empathy, and they do a ton of great work, from writing poetry and making stained glass for nursing homes to making toys for dogs and giving them a fun day, they do it all.

They meet up every Friday to discuss new ideas.

This month, they'll be taking a trip to the park and cleaning up the trash.

In a true spirit of collaboration, students and teachers come up with ideas together.

A fourth grade student named Henry came up with a domino chain idea, which the whole school took part in.

A couple of friends, Henry and Ryan, are fourth graders and members of SMASH who came to Grant Elementary in third grade from another school.

In kindergarten, Henry saw the domino chain and decided that it would be a smash hit at Grant.

Ryan says that he wants everyone to be able to be as happy as he is.

The two said their favorite part is helping people and chilling with their friends.

Now that's what I call a chain reaction.

Great job to SMASH Collaborative for showing that teamwork does in fact make the dream work.

Also, great job to our intern, Aiden, for doing such a great job producing that A+ Award segment.

If you'd like to nominate a student or a group of students for our A+ Award, you can do it through our form online at newsdepth.org.

Okay, on with the news.

A Dallas Cowboys cheerleader has inspired a Utah teen to share her experience and bring awareness to alopecia.

Alopecia is a medical term for the partial or complete absence of hair.

Professional Cheerleader Armani Latimer made a courageous statement by performing without her wig for the first time, publicly revealing her struggle with alopecia.

Her bold decision resonated deeply, especially with others facing the same condition, sparking emotional responses and widespread support online.

One of those touched by Armani's bravery was 17-year-old Gianessa from Utah who also has alopecia.

Reporter Deja Brown speaks with Gianessa about her empowering journey - [Deja] In a moment where all eyes were on America's sweethearts, Dallas Cowboys cheerleader Armani Latimer made a bold and brave move.

- Knowing that I went out on the field with no wig on in front of thousands of people just inside the stadium.

- [Deja] Now Armani's vulnerable gesture bringing awareness to her alopecia diagnosis, performing for the first time without her wig.

This vulnerable step has not only made waves on the internet, it's traveled more than 1,000 miles to St. George, Utah.

- [Armani] Hi, I am so honored that you are looking up to me and seeing me as a role model for you.

- [Deja] Forming a special connection between two young women despite the distance.

- It made me feel happy for her that she was able to do that, and I'm just glad she had the confidence to present herself like that.

- [Deja] This is Gianessa Wright.

She's 17 and she also was diagnosed with alopecia as a child.

- It started when I was seven when I was brushing my hair, and while I was brushing my hair, a huge chunk came out, and then one day after school, I just decided to shave it all off.

- [Deja] She hopes others take this moment to learn about alopecia.

- It has impacted me both positively and negatively.

Sometimes, it's really hard to be different, but most times, it's honestly not that bad.

- [Deja] Armani wanted to share a special message with her, hoping their shared experience pushes her to keep going, inspiring others to be strong.

- Know that you are absolutely beautiful more inside than you are outside, but even just as beautiful on the outside.

Don't let anyone ever tell you differently.

Your bald is beautiful, and I 100% support you.

- I think it was actually very, very sweet to say that, and I agree.

Yeah, we will get a lot of side glances or glares or rude things said to us, but like you're just gonna have to push through it, man.

I'm very glad that they made that for me.

- Thank you, Deja.

Inclusivity in sports ensures that athletes of all backgrounds, abilities, and identities feel seen, supported, and empowered to perform at their very best.

It also fosters a culture of respect and representation, inspiring future generations to embrace diversity both on and off the field.

Not to mention, getting to play with all of your friends makes the games a lot more fun.

A co-ed youth sled hockey team is filling a gap in the Las Vegas Valley for children with physical disabilities.

They're using adaptive hockey equipment to encourage everyone to join their team.

Adaptive means that modifications help individuals with physical or mental disabilities to participate in the sport.

Molly McBride spoke with members of the Vegas Golden Chariots about what the team means to them.

- [Molly] One puck at a time.

(team cheering) The Vegas Golden Chariots is filling a critical need in the Las Vegas Valley for children with physical disabilities.

- I found this sport and I was like, "Oh wow.

I can now play hockey."

- It's pretty much the only sport that I can do.

- On the Vegas Golden Chariots, you never feel like you're a weirdo.

- [Molly] Their President Chad Smith tells me the team started in 2020 as a small group and has now grown to about 17 players.

- We adapt whatever needs to happen to make sure that that child can play hockey on the ice.

(crowd cheering) - [Molly] They practice about once a week in scrimmage against other youth sled hockey teams across the country.

Although winning feels great, players tell me the real prize is the community they formed along the way.

- Like a family to me, I don't know, I just feel really connected with them.

If I didn't, I wouldn't be sitting right here.

- [Molly] They're dreaming big too.

- I would like to be like a Paralympian once I grow older.

- [Molly] And these ambitious athletes have a message to anyone thinking about joining the team.

- If you have any disabilities, come out here and just see how how we play.

- Just try it.

Come out on the ice and see if you want to do it.

- Great teamwork, thank you, Molly.

One high school senior in Minnesota is inspiring his teachers, classmates, and wrestling coaches every single day.

He was even named the student of the month just last month, but that's just a fraction of what he does.

As Will Hall explains, that student is doing it all despite being legally blind.

- Fate.

- We don't ever miss.

We're always here.

- In family.

- First move, let's go, come on.

- [Will] But don't call it luck for the Irish senior.

- Straight out.

- Nate's journey to the mat is built on hard work and toughness.

- Keep moving.

- [Speaker] He might be the only one in the state of Minnesota.

- Work your angle.

- Vision gives pain purpose.

How'd you get through it?

- The main thing I did was just not letting it stop me from doing the things I enjoyed.

- [Will] But what happens when the pain takes away the vision?

- Keep moving.

- So we took him in and the guy's like, "You need to go to the emergency room right now."

We're like, "What?"

And he's like, "There's something messed up with his optic nerves.

You need to go to the emergency room now."

- Let's go Gavin.

- Nate is legally blind.

(whistle blowing) Nate, how much can you see?

- I'd say like colors with enough high contrast or general blurry shapes.

Come on, you got this, let's go.

It's heavy blurring in my central vision, which works well for wrestling because I'm still able to discern enough general shapes to tell most of what a person's body is doing.

Keep fighting it.

- [Will] Two years ago, he was diagnosed with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy.

- That breaks a lock.

- [Will] A rare genetic disease that causes vision loss.

- She's like, "No, this isn't reversible, this is permanent."

The air just went out of the room.

It's just a total gut punch where it's like, all right?

- [Will] What was that moment like when you learned that it was irreversible and that you were losing your vision?

- I'd say very overwhelming.

I kind of just shut down a little bit.

- We don't want to get stretched out.

- [Nate] Being able to continue with wrestling really helped.

- Go out and battle.

- [Will] Nate picked himself off the mat through the very sport.

- Go Nate.

- That chose him.

Wrestling rules allow for visually impaired athletes to compete by each competitor touching each other.

- Good movement, Nate.

- In a sport where you're always trying to see one step ahead.

- Finish, finish.

- Nate has to feel to gain the upper hand.

- Fight that off.

Keeps fighting for what he wants in life, and that is to be successful and happy.

- I don't know that there's words to describe how proud we are of him.

- [Will] How would you define the word perseverance?

- I would define perseverance as not letting a hard time stop you from doing the things you hadn't originally intended to do.

(whistle blowing) (crowd cheering) - Nate's perseverance.

- Good finish, Nate.

- [Will] One you don't have to see to believe.

- Nate seems like a great role model.

Thank you for the report, Will.

In the Texas Independence Relay, the nonprofit called Wings of Texas is spreading a powerful message of inclusion.

Their goal is to help individuals with disabilities like Charlie and Laurie complete the 200 mile race with the support of 12 dedicated team members known as angels.

Founded by Michelle Jones, the team combines determination, community, and compassion to overcome physical and environmental challenges, proving that with the right support, anything is possible.

Makaylah Chavez has their story.

- [Michelle] We are going to spread the mission of inclusion for 200 miles across Texas in the Texas Independence Relay.

- [Makaylah] Michelle Jones is the founder of Wings of Texas, a nonprofit that assists individuals with disabilities and promotes inclusion.

- This will be Charlie's ninth year doing the Texas Independence Relay and Captain Laurie's first year.

- [Makaylah] She's also Charlie's mom.

- [Michelle] The first year we did it, we took Charlie out as a proof of concept just to show the race director that we could do it and that we could do it safely.

- [Makaylah] Since then, the team has grown.

There will be two captains, Charlie and Laurie, and there'll be 12 people helping them make their way to the finish line.

They're called angels.

- [Michelle] We give our stronger runners the longer distances.

So the longest distance that one of the angels will be doing is a total of 20 miles, and they have three legs.

- [Makaylah] That angel she's talking about is Hector Giannis.

- Having to run 200 miles is not something you just do every weekend.

- [Makaylah] 200 miles isn't easy, especially when there are challenges along the way.

- [There's actually some dirt roads, you're talking about some oil field trucks, 18 wheelers running by us with just dirt and dust going everywhere.

Just cars going by so fast at night.

That and the hills, after your 15th mile, you kind of ask for some help to go over the hills.

- [Makaylah] But the angels I met all agree that there's no challenge that can get in the way of spreading inclusion on a whole new level.

- Charlie's experiencing something that people only dream of doing, and it's because of the 12 amazing angels that we have that are willing to go out there for 32 hours, not sleeping, not showering, just getting out there and making sure that Charlie and Laurie cross that finish line.

(group cheering) - Thank you, Makaylah.

Now let's talk about one of my favorite all-time athletes.

Jesse Owens's journey from a segregated childhood to Olympic glory is a powerful example of how inclusivity in sports can challenge and dismantle societal barriers.

Despite facing racism and unequal treatment, Owens's record-breaking achievements on the world stage not only redefined athletic excellence, but also proves that talent is not limited by someone's race, laying the groundwork for a more inclusive future in sports.

Mary Fecteau has his story for this week's Know Ohio.

(upbeat music) - Today, some of our favorite athletes are African American, but back in the 1930s, sports were often segregated, and Black athletes were not given the same support as their white counterparts.

This is the world famous Olympian Jesse Owens grew up in.

After moving to Ohio with his family as a young boy, Jesse discovered his passion for running in junior high, and by high school, he was nearly breaking records.

As a student at Cleveland's East Tech, he matched the world record, running 100 meters in just 9.4 seconds.

And he only got better in college.

At Ohio State, he was known as the Buckeye Bullet, and for good reason.

Not only did he win a record number of NCAA championships, but he set three world records in a single day.

But in the 1930s, even his status on the track did not entitle him to equal treatment off of it.

As a Black student at Ohio State, Jesse was forced to live off campus with other African American athletes and never received a scholarship for his efforts.

Jesse responded to this racism with amazing athletic success.

And it reached its peak at the 1936 Olympic Games.

Held in Berlin during Nazi rule, German Chancellor Adolf Hitler was expecting domination by German athletes and planned to use the games to promote his concept of German racial superiority.

But to Hitler's chagrin, it was Owens who dominated, winning four gold medals and breaking a world record.

Today, memorials to Jesse can be found all around the Buckeye State.

From Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium for track and field competitions at Ohio State to the Jesse Owens statue that sits in downtown Cleveland, Jesse Owens's memory serves as a reminder that the best way to overcome prejudice is to outrun it.

- Thank you, Mary.

If you'd like to learn more about the legacy Jesse Owens left for young Ohio athletes, you can check out this story about his school's track team on newsdepth.org and our YouTube channel.

And that brings us to our Write To Us.

Why is inclusion in sports so important?

You can send us an email to newsdepth@ideastream.org to tell us what you think.

Okay, the episode is almost over, but we had to make time for News Hound.

It's time for Petting Zoo.

(upbeat music) (News Hound barking) Hi, News Hound.

Oh, great catch.

I hope you put that much energy into today's Petting Zoo.

It's time to get to work.

All right, you found a story about a mama sloth giving birth to her baby.

- She was right in front of the public, right in front of the glass doing her thing.

- [Gabriel] A rare and unexpected moment.

- Very emotional moment.

Some people were in tears like myself, just kind of shocking.

- To learn more, click the Petting Zoo icon on our website.

(logo whooshing) Thanks as always for the great story, News Hound, and that's all the time we have for today, but you can keep the conversation going.

And there are plenty of ways for you to stay in touch with us.

You can write to us, we're at 1375 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio, our zip code here is 44115.

You can email us at newsdepth@ideastream.org, plus you can catch all of our special segments on YouTube.

Hit Subscribe if you're old enough so you don't miss out on any of our new videos.

Thank you for joining us.

I'm Gabriel Kramer, see you next time.

(upbeat music) - [Announcer] "NewsDepth" is made possible by a grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.

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