Back to School Means Back to Fueling Success: The Role of School Meals in Student Achievement

As summer winds down and the first day of school approaches, families across Citrus County are preparing for a new academic year. While school supplies, schedules, and routines are all top of mind, there’s another critical element that plays a major role in student success: nutrition.

In Citrus County, over 70 percent of our students are recognized as economically disadvantaged. That means school meals aren’t just helpful; they are essential. Thanks to the USDA’s National School Lunch Program (NSLP), students across our district have access to nutritious meals every day at no charge. During the 2024–2025 school year, Citrus County Schools’ Food and Nutrition Services Department served 849,012 breakfast meals and 1,770,628 lunch meals to CAP (Community Eligibility Provision) students. On average, that’s 4,824 breakfasts and 10,060 lunches per day.

These numbers don’t just represent meals. They represent opportunity, access, and care. In fact, with such a high daily volume, Citrus County Schools operates the largest restaurant system in the county—and one of the most important. In addition to main meals, the department also offers à la carte items, healthy snacks, desserts, and drinks to meet a variety of student needs and preferences.

President Harry S. Truman (seated) signs the National School Lunch Act surrounded by the Secretary of Agriculture and members of Congress, June 1946

A Legacy of Nutrition and National Strength

Feeding school children in the United States is not a recent innovation. The roots of the National School Lunch Program go back to the post-World War II era. During the war, alarmingly high rates of malnutrition among military recruits—up to one in four were found unfit for service—sparked a national movement to improve the health of young Americans.

In response, President Harry S. Truman signed the National School Lunch Act (NSLA) into law in 1946. This legislation formally established the NSLP with a goal of protecting the health and well-being of the nation’s children and supporting agricultural markets by using surplus foods. In President Truman’s own words, the program was intended “as a measure of national security, to safeguard the health and well-being of the nation’s children.”

While the origins of the program are tied to military readiness, today its value lies just as powerfully in educational readiness. A well-nourished child is a more focused, energized, and capable learner. When students have access to balanced, consistent meals, they are better able to concentrate, retain information, and perform academically.

Standards that Support Student Health

Meals provided through the NSLP and School Breakfast Program must meet strict nutritional standards. These include:

• Fruits and vegetables offered daily
• Whole grains required for grain-based items
• Low-fat or fat-free milk
• Calorie ranges based on age or grade groups
• Limits on sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat

These guidelines are grounded in nutritional research to ensure meals support student growth, energy needs, and long-term health. They also help students establish lifelong healthy eating habits.

Leading with Excellence in Citrus County

Citrus County is fortunate to have an exceptional Food and Nutrition Services Department under the leadership of Director Roy R. Pistone II, RDN, M.Ed., SNS. Along with his remarkable team of professionals at both the district and school levels, Mr. Pistone and his team ensures that every student has access to nutritious meals that fuel both body and mind.

These nutrition professionals are not just cooks or cafeteria staff. They are educators, nurturers, and frontline health workers. Their work helps remove barriers to learning and provides a daily foundation of wellness for our students.

As we welcome our students back this school year, let’s celebrate and support the systems that keep them nourished and ready to learn. Behind every successful student is not just a good teacher or a strong curriculum—but also a full stomach.

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Engaging the Next Generation: A Visit to the Old Homosassa Civics Summer Camp

On Wednesday, I had the distinct pleasure of joining a remarkable group of middle school students at the very first Civics Summer Camp, held at the Old Homosassa Learning Center. It was an inspiring morning—one that reminded us all of the importance of civic education and how critical it is to invest in the next generation of leaders.

The camp, coordinated by Learning Center Coordinator Jessica MacRae, is part of the center’s expanded summer programming and was specifically designed to immerse students in their rights and responsibilities as citizens. This civics-based experience allows students to see how government works—not just from a textbook, but through real-life interactions and hands-on learning.

Joining me at the camp were County Commissioner Dr. Jeff Kinnard, Mosquito Control Board Member Joe Adams, Homosassa Special Water District Commissioner Rodney MacRae, and representatives from the Old Homosassa Civic Club. Each of us had the opportunity to share with the students our roles in government, the agencies we represent, and what civic leadership looks like in action.

We spoke not only about the technical aspects of our jobs but also about the larger responsibility of public service. We discussed how local decisions are made, what it means to represent a community, and the importance of being informed, engaged, and active citizens. And, most importantly, we took questions—thoughtful, curious, and sometimes challenging ones—from students eager to understand how they fit into the democratic process.

Jessica MacRae shared with us, “We believe that hearing directly from a government official like yourself would be a meaningful and educational experience.” I couldn’t agree more.

One of the highlights of the week came from the classroom itself. Cyndal Houts, a social studies and civics teacher at Crystal River High School, brought energy and creativity to the camp as one of the teacher-counselors. On the first day, students drafted laws to govern their group for the week. Some laws were lighthearted—like mandatory breaks to dance to a favorite song—while others focused on behavior and accountability. The next day, they amended those laws, reflecting on what worked and what didn’t, and demonstrating real legislative thinking.

These exercises weren’t just fun—they were profoundly educational. They mirrored the structure of how laws are created, debated, and changed at the state and local levels, giving students a tangible and memorable introduction to civic engagement.

Programs like this don’t just teach kids about government; they show them that they are already part of it. When students learn they have a voice—and that their ideas and questions matter—they begin to see themselves as citizens, not someday, but today.

And the civic learning didn’t stop in the classroom. Throughout the week, other community leaders and organizations also participated. Citrus County Fire Rescue visited to teach the students CPR and how to use an AED. They also brought a firetruck and spent over an hour engaging with the students, inspiring the next generation of first responders. Veterans from The Bridge 4 Veterans, Inc. came out as well, demonstrating how to properly fold and hoist the American flag—reinforcing the importance of honor, patriotism, and tradition.

Students also went on a special field trip to the Old Homosassa Post Office. Monkey Island Riverside Resort and Manatees and Mermaids generously loaned golf carts so the students could travel safely and in style. The camp also included a beautification project, thanks to Sweet SassaLicious, which donated hibiscus plants, and Fowler Lawns, whose team not only showed students how to landscape, plant, spread mulch, and install an irrigation system—but also donated the materials used.

It was a true community effort, and we are all grateful to every Old Homosassa Learning Center partner and volunteer who contributed their time, talent, or resources. Most of all, we are grateful to the students, who showed us that the future of civic leadership is already growing right here in Citrus County.

With programs like these, our future is in good hands.

You can learn more about the Old Homosassa Learning Center at https://homosassacivicclubinc.org/old-homosassa-learning-center/

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Congratulations to Senator Blaise Ingoglia on His Appointment as Florida’s Chief Financial Officer

It’s with genuine excitement and pride that we congratulate Senator Blaise Ingoglia on his appointment by Governor Ron DeSantis to serve as Florida’s next Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This is a significant and well-earned opportunity, and we are confident that Senator Ingoglia will bring the same energy, dedication, and sharp focus to this new role that he has shown throughout his years of public service.

The responsibilities of Florida’s CFO are wide-ranging and vital to our state’s well-being. They include financial management, insurance regulation and consumer services, treasury and investment functions, workers’ compensation oversight, and fraud prevention. In addition, the CFO serves as Florida’s State Fire Marshal, overseeing fire safety standards, investigations, and firefighter training.

It’s that final responsibility—State Fire Marshal—that especially excites me because of its potential to strengthen an already growing connection between CFO Ingoglia and our local students.

Thanks in part to this year’s legislative appropriations, which Senator Ingoglia spent several years championing, Citrus County is expanding its educational and workforce offerings at the Academy of Health Careers at Crystal River High School. This year’s funding begins laying the groundwork for a future “Firefighter I” course offering, integrated into our EMT/EMS pathway. This program will give students a head start in emergency services and first responder training and open doors to lifelong public safety careers.

And let’s be honest—there may be no stronger way to fight a blaze than with a Blaise.

Senator Ingoglia’s support of our students and programs has been anything but distant or symbolic. He’s shown up—in the classrooms, in the labs, and in the lives of our students. He knows many of them by name, even giving a few memorable nicknames. Who can forget the now locally famous weightlifting challenge where Senator Ingoglia went toe-to-toe with some of our state champion student-athletes? Or the visit to the Florida Senate chambers, where our students met with him and—yes—threw a football under the Capitol dome?

We are deeply grateful to Senator Ingoglia for his service in the Florida Senate and for the unwavering support he has shown to our students and programs. His focus on expanding opportunities, improving access, and showing up—both figuratively and literally—has made a lasting impact in Citrus County.

While his new duties as CFO will be substantial, I have no doubt that Blaise will continue to carry the hearts, hopes, and dreams of our students with him. His leadership, vision, and genuine connection with young people will be an asset to all Floridians—and especially to those seeking opportunities in public service careers.

Godspeed, Blaise!

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