We applaud the Oak Harbor School District’s adoption of the summer program that will ensure students who are out of school get a healthy lunch every day.

The program is being funded by a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture, and this is the first year that Oak Harbor schools have participated.

Scientific research has shown that there’s a strong correlation between childhood nutrition and academic performance.

Children who eat healthy throughout the day are less likely to fail tests, a 2009 study found. A more recent study links healthy school lunches and academic performance.

Hot lunches have come a long way. No longer are “mystery meat” and watery peas and carrots the standard of school lunches.

The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 mandated healthier options at school in the nation. Districts throughout the Puget Sound region and beyond make efforts to include locally grown food on the menu while cooks have explored ways to make mass-produced lunches more palatable.

Thankfully, pizza, corn dogs and other childhood favorites haven’t been banned from the menu altogether.

Oak Harbor has also come a long way. Voters passed a levy to bring hot lunches to the schools in 2001. Before that, a levy that included a hot lunch program failed because of voters’ skepticism about the need.

The proof was in the pudding, as they say.  The number of students who got hot lunches rapidly increased as did the number of children who qualify for reduced-cost or free lunches, showing that the demand was indeed real.

Even though school isn’t in session, these children’s need for healthy meals hasn’t diminished. There’s still little bellies to be filled and growing brains to be fueled.

The summertime free lunches will also be a great opportunity for kids to stay in touch and make new friends over the summer months.

The district is working with the Boys & Girls Club of Oak Harbor and potentially Whidbey Island Naval Air Station to make the program happen.

To start, the meals will be served using the the Boys & Girls Club at the Roller Barn which can accommodate about 140 children. Other locations may become available if the Navy can get approval to use Navy housing community centers.

The program will run Monday through Friday, from Monday, June 22 through Aug. 28. No lunches will be served July 6-10, which is a holiday break.