For Luke Ewald, a member of the 2025–2026 Project REACH cohort, improving health outcomes begins with understanding the challenges students face outside the classroom.
Throughout the Project REACH program, Ewald focused his policy work on addressing food insecurity-based malnutrition among ninth-grade students in Jackson County, Minnesota. Recognizing the critical transition into high school as a pivotal time for student health and well-being, he developed a policy proposal aimed at identifying and supporting students experiencing food insecurity before it impacts their academic success and long-term health.
His proposal recommends implementing the Hunger Vital Sign tool, a validated two-question food insecurity screening tool endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, for all ninth-grade students in the county. The screening would help schools identify students at risk and connect them with both school-based and community resources, ensuring timely access to support services.
Over the course of the year, Ewald engaged with a wide range of community and state partners to better understand local needs and opportunities for implementation. He met with leaders from Jackson County Food 4 Kids, staff from the Heron Lake-Okabena and Jackson County Central school districts, and representatives from the School Health Systems unit at the Minnesota Department of Health. These conversations helped inform a practical, community-centered approach to addressing food insecurity among adolescents in rural Minnesota.
As part of Project REACH’s Day at the Capitol in April, Ewald also had the opportunity to share his policy proposal with Senator Bill Weber, highlighting the importance of early identification and intervention to support student health.
"With the resources and learning opportunities Project REACH has provided me, I feel confident collaborating with partners to turn local problems into sustainable, transformative solutions."
Project REACH provides emerging leaders with opportunities to explore health policy issues affecting Minnesota communities while developing skills in advocacy, partnership building, and systems change. Through his work, Ewald has demonstrated how collaboration across schools, community organizations, public health agencies, and policymakers can help create healthier futures for young people across rural Minnesota.
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