GRETNA, Neb. (KMTV) — Gretna High School sophomore Cade Bryson loves lunch.
"What does lunch mean to you?"
Cade: "It means a lot. I get to hang out with my friends, eat together, play sports together."
Take a short walk from the Gretna High School cafeteria and you'll find a room full of laughter, conversation, and good food.
"What's your favorite food? What do you like to eat at lunch?"
Cade: "Steak."
"Why's that?"
Cade: "Because it's good."
Senior Addison Dauel wanted to make a change at her school after she felt alone at lunch and noticed students with disabilities did not have anyone to sit with. That's why she brought Lunch Buddies, a program where people of all abilities can be included.
"It's a rewarding experience for me every single day," Dauel said. "I look forward to it. It's my favorite time of the day, to see all the smiles on the faces with my peers, students with disabilities, and I really do enjoy it."
Dauel said often, a normal cafeteria can be too loud and often lead to sensory overload issues for special education students.
"Not everyone likes to eat in a lunchroom where it's very loud. Sometimes people want to feel like they have a reserved space and just a space of their own," she said.
Now... the lunch hour has a lasting impact.
"It's made a huge difference in Gretna. Just people are actually looking forward to lunch. They're not hiding away. They can actually open up and create bonds with their peers."
The program has been so successful at Gretna, she now hopes more local schools bring Lunch Buddies to their campus.
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