Elementary kids’ persuasive writing skills get fries on the menu

Published 1:30 am Friday, April 24, 2026

French fries are healthy.

At least, that’s what one second grader argued in a letter to Coupeville Elementary Principal Erica McColl.

During a recent second grade classroom unit, students were tasked with writing persuasive letters in hopes of getting french fries added to the school cafeteria menu. The assignment quickly unlocked students’ creativity. Some students pointed out that they have been on their best behavior all year. One argued that fries qualify as healthy.

“We have never had them,” a student wrote. “They are good. That is why we want french fries for lunch everyday.”

As playful and imaginative as the letters were, the lesson carried a deeper purpose: teaching students that their words can have real impact. Each second grade class participated, but one teacher, Ms. Kathy Bayne, ultimately sent her students letters to the principal, setting off a chain reaction.

“They put so much effort into it,” McColl recalled about the letters, noting how some of them said they promised to be good for the rest of the year.

The letters also prompted a realization that fries had never actually appeared on the school menu. From there, the idea gained traction. McColl sent the letters to the District Food Services Director Laura Luginbill and District Chef Andreas Wurzrainer, who agreed to explore the possibility.

The kitchen staff organized a taste test, offering four different types of french fries, with ketchup, obviously — and invited Bayne’s students to weigh in.

“When we got to go taste the french fries they realized ‘Wow okay, we’re doing this.’” Bayne said. “It was really cute.”

The students were quite vocal about which french fry they wanted, she noted, ultimately choosing a waffle fry.

The kids also got a behind-the-scenes look at how school meals are planned. The process introduced them to considerations like budgeting and how cooking methods can be adjusted to create healthier options.

For McColl, the exercise was about more than fries.

“Whether it was french fries or dressing like a dinosaur every day,” she said, “this is meaningful work and even in second grade they have the ability and impact to make change.”

The activity also tied into a broader school-wide focus on “accountable talk,” encouraging students to engage in thoughtful, academic dialogue, McColl said.

“We want our students to be articulate and have the words they need to explain themselves,” she continued.

This can be applied to something as fun as french fries, to more serious conversation when students require support.

“We’re teaching them how to get their needs met through constructive, positive ways,” she said.

Bayne said she hopes the lesson leaves a lasting impression. Though it’s still unclear exactly how or when fries might appear on the menu, the students have already learned something significant: a persuasive letter has power, and their words can change minds, she said.

“We haven’t seen them on the menu yet, “ Bayne said, “But I think they’re coming.”