Teachers are everyday heroes. They don’t just teach lessons; they change lives. This World Teacher’s Day, we’re celebrating one of those heroes: Ms. Elizabeth Lonnecker, a ninth- and eleventh-grade English teacher at Hoover High School in San Diego.
She noticed some of her students were experiencing hunger, which was impacting their attendance and ability to focus at school. Instead of looking the other way, she took action. With a little creativity (and some popcorn!), she sparked a movement that turned her campus into a place where no student has to worry about food or go through the day on an empty stomach.
It Started with Popcorn
One afternoon, a student asked Ms. Lonnecker if she could take a bag of popcorn home for the weekend. Curious, Ms. Lonnecker asked why. The student quietly admitted, “Sometimes I don’t have enough food to eat.”
That simple, honest moment changed everything. Ms. Lonnecker realized that many of her students were struggling with hunger at home, and hunger makes it harder to concentrate, learn, and thrive in school. She knew she had to step in and make a difference.
From One Cupboard to a Campus Movement
Ms. Lonnecker partnered with Feeding San Diego and began small, stocking a classroom cupboard with snacks and essentials. Soon, the idea spread throughout the campus. Other teachers followed her lead and opened their own snack shelves. Word quickly got around: if you were hungry, you could grab what you needed without fear or judgment.
But that was only the beginning. Working together with community school coordinator Richard Gijon and culinary arts teacher Chef Tina Luu, Ms. Lonnecker helped launch The Hoover Market, a full campus pantry located in the library. Students can now access fresh food, pantry items, and hygiene products while volunteering to help run the market. In return, they earn community service hours and learn valuable lessons about empathy, teamwork, and leadership.
Learning to Eat Healthy (and Have Fun With It)
Food at Hoover is not just about filling stomachs. It’s about growing minds, trying new foods, and building healthy habits for life.
When students weren’t sure how to cook brussels sprouts, Ms. Lonnecker turned it into a fun extra-credit challenge. Chef Luu shared TikTok tutorials showing students how to prepare vegetables like butternut squash and zucchini, transforming hesitation into excitement. Students began choosing apples and oranges over chips and even created mini-lessons to teach others about how nutritious food improves focus and memory.
A Hero’s Superpower: Partnerships
Ms. Lonnecker says the key to making change is asking for help. By partnering with Feeding San Diego and working with other teachers, she transformed Hoover High into a hunger-fighting hub of hope and support.
“It’s been transformational,” she said. “We can’t do it alone as a school. We need partners. My hope is that other schools can replicate this.”
Celebrating Teachers Everywhere
The 2025 World Teachers’ Day theme, “Recasting teaching as a collaborative profession,” celebrates educators who know that real change happens when we work together. Ms. Lonnecker embodies that spirit. Her story shows how one teacher’s idea can grow into a community movement when fueled by partnership, compassion, and creativity.
At Hunger Action Heroes Unite!, we believe every teacher has the power to activate hero mode, not alone but alongside colleagues, students, and community partners. Whether it’s starting a pantry, leading a food drive, or inspiring empathy, educators like Ms. Lonnecker remind us that collaboration is the superpower that turns classrooms into catalysts for change.
Want to Be a Hunger Action Hero?
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Students: Talk to your teachers about how you can help fight hunger at school and make a lasting difference in your community.
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Teachers: Download our curriculum to bring Hunger Action Heroes into your classroom and empower your students to take meaningful action against hunger.
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Everyone: Share this story to celebrate the everyday heroes who are shaping a hunger-free future and inspiring others to join the movement.
Meta Title: World Teacher’s Day Spotlight | Hunger Action Heroes Unite!
Meta Description: Celebrate World Teacher’s Day with Ms. Lonnecker’s inspiring story of how one teacher turned hunger into hope and sparked a campus-wide food movement.
Keywords: World Teacher’s Day, student hunger, teacher heroes, Hoover High School, Feeding San Diego, Hunger Action Heroes Unite, campus pantry, food insecurity, classroom heroes, teacher spotlight
