Medina High Students Create Food Insecurity Program

Partnering with Spark Medina to teach local elementary students

Mar. 12, 2026 at 2:00am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Students from Medina High School worked with the local nonprofit Spark Medina to develop and teach a program on food insecurity for first graders at Fenn Elementary School. The high school students put their classroom learning into practice by leading interactive lessons to raise awareness about hunger and food access issues in the community.

Why it matters

This project allowed Medina High students to apply their academic knowledge to a real-world issue impacting their local community. By engaging younger students, the program aims to build empathy and inspire action around addressing food insecurity at an early age.

The details

The Medina High students created interactive lessons and activities to teach the first graders about food insecurity, including defining the concept, discussing its causes, and exploring ways the community can help. The lessons incorporated hands-on elements like a food sorting game to reinforce the learning.

  • The program took place on Wednesday, March 12, 2026.

The players

Medina High School

A public high school located in Medina, Ohio.

Spark Medina

A local nonprofit organization that works to address community needs in Medina, including food insecurity.

Fenn Elementary School

A public elementary school in Medina, Ohio where the food insecurity program was taught.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“This was a great opportunity for our students to take what they've learned in the classroom and put it into practice to make a real impact in our community.”

— Sarah Thompson, Teacher, Medina High School

“Educating young students about food insecurity is an important first step in developing empathy and inspiring them to get involved in solutions.”

— Emily Ramirez, Executive Director, Spark Medina

What’s next

Spark Medina plans to continue partnering with Medina High School to expand the food insecurity education program to additional elementary schools in the district.

The takeaway

This collaborative project between Medina High School and Spark Medina demonstrates how students can apply academic learning to address real community needs, while also inspiring the next generation to get involved in social issues at a young age.