When one boy realized that children across the country were struggling to pay for their lunches, he knew he had to do something.
Ryan Kyote began campaigning to local and state politicians to ensure that no student would go hungry again. Today his hard work paid off in the form of new legislation.
There have been multiple reports of students being humiliated or having their meals taken away because their family has an unpaid debt for school lunches.
Ryan Kyote made headlines when he used his allowance to help a struggling classmate pay for their lunch.
Since his story went viral, Ryan's been advocating to make school lunches affordable for all students.
However, the debt can accumulate until the end of the school year and become a financial burden on the family.
Specifically, Ryan wanted the state to end the practice of giving out "alternative lunches" to children with unpaid debts.
These students were subjected to bullying from their peers because of the stigma associated with alternative meals and unpaid debt.
The new legislation guarantees, "...all students receive a state reimbursable meal of their choice, even if their parent or guardian has unpaid meal fees."
"I want to thank Ryan for his empathy and his courage in bringing awareness to this important issue,” said Governor Newsom in a press release.
People are rallying around this issue and hoping more follow Ryan's lead to end the practice.
Many believe that this legislation is a step in the right direction.
