New London firefighter Matt Condon, right, sits for lunch, and conversation, with kindergarten students at Winthrop STEM elementary school Monday, January 7, 2019 as part of the Lunch Tray program. Various groups; firefighters, police officers, rotarians, take turns having lunch with the students once a month in an effort to give the students a stronger connection to their community. Katie Halissey, a former guidance counselor at New London High School who now helps guide kids into college with Higher Edge, modeled the idea after the Coffee with A Cop program and decided to invite a different group of people to the school once a month to each lunch with the kids. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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First graders Joniel Flores-Betancourt, center, and Levi Chappelle, right, talks with New London firefighter Evan Giesing, left, as members of the department sit for lunch, and conversation, with students at Winthrop STEM elementary school Monday, January 7, 2019 as part of the Lunch Tray program. Various groups; firefighters, police officers, rotarians, take turns having lunch with the students once a month in an effort to give the students a stronger connection to their community. Katie Halissey, a former guidance counselor at New London High School who now helps guide kids into college with Higher Edge, modeled the idea after the Coffee with A Cop program and decided to invite a different group of people to the school once a month to each lunch with the kids. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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New London Public Schools superintendent Cynthia Ritchie, right, chats with kindergarten students as she joins members of the New London fire department sit for lunch, and conversation, with students at Winthrop STEM elementary school Monday, January 7, 2019 as part of the Lunch Tray program. Various groups; firefighters, police officers, rotarians, take turns having lunch with the students once a month in an effort to give the students a stronger connection to their community. Katie Halissey, a former guidance counselor at New London High School who now helps guide kids into college with Higher Edge, modeled the idea after the Coffee with A Cop program and decided to invite a different group of people to the school once a month to each lunch with the kids. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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New London firefighter Matt Condon, right, sits for lunch, and conversation, with kindergarten students at Winthrop STEM elementary school Monday, January 7, 2019 as part of the Lunch Tray program. Various groups; firefighters, police officers, rotarians, take turns having lunch with the students once a month in an effort to give the students a stronger connection to their community. Katie Halissey, a former guidance counselor at New London High School who now helps guide kids into college with Higher Edge, modeled the idea after the Coffee with A Cop program and decided to invite a different group of people to the school once a month to each lunch with the kids. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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New London fire chief Tom Curcio, left, and firefighters Matt Condon, center, and Evan Giesing, wave goodby after members of the department sat for lunch, and conversation, with kindergarten students at Winthrop STEM elementary school Monday, January 7, 2019 as part of the Lunch Tray program. Various groups; firefighters, police officers, rotarians, take turns having lunch with the students once a month in an effort to give the students a stronger connection to their community. Katie Halissey, a former guidance counselor at New London High School who now helps guide kids into college with Higher Edge, modeled the idea after the Coffee with A Cop program and decided to invite a different group of people to the school once a month to each lunch with the kids. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
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