Senator Martin Heinrich made stops at schools in both Albuquerque and Rio Rancho this past week to highlight legislation he is working on in congress and to join ESPN honoring Rio Rancho Elementary School for their Special Olympics Unified Program.
The Senator began his day at Wilson Middle School, where he visited with students and workers in their cafeteria and toured the school’s garden.
Both were relevant to two pieces of legislation Heinrich had recently introduced, The Living Schoolyards Act and The Universal School Meals Act.
Living Schoolyards is designed to support schools as they re-envision their outdoors spaces and create more hands-on learning opportunities for students.
It will also help strengthen local ecological systems and give every child a place to learn outside.
The Universal School Meals Act is in the same vein as New Mexico’s recently passed universal meals program.
Taken to a national level, Heinrich is sponsoring the legislation along Senator Bernie Sanders.
The goal is to provide a permanent solution to end child hunger in schools by providing free breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack to all students, from preschool to high school, regardless of their income status.
Heinrich said both of these pieces of legislation come from the inspiration he got from local leaders.
“It’s exciting for me to be here to announce these initiatives at a federal level, really I’m just following the local leadership of people innovating here on the ground in New Mexico.”
After the conclusion of his visit to Wilson, Heinrich paid a visit to the students of Rio Rancho Elementary School to recognize their accomplishments in their Special Olympics Unified Program.
Students from kindergarten through 5th grade packed the school’s gym to listen as Heinrich presented them with a flag he had flown over the Capitol Building in honor of them.
He commended their inclusion of all students and said their efforts inspired him and others around the nation.