New London firefighter Matt Condon, right, sits for lunch and conversation with kindergarten students at Winthrop STEM elementary school Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, as part of the Lunch Tray program. Various groups, such as firefighters, police officers and 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 eat lunch with the kids. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
Buy Photo Reprints

First-graders Joniel Flores-Betancourt, center, and Levi Chappelle, right, talk 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, Jan. 7, 2019, as part of the Lunch Tray program. Various groups, such as firefighters, police officers and 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 eat lunch with the kids. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
Buy Photo Reprints

New London firefighter Matt Condon, right, sits for lunch and conversation with kindergarten students at the Winthrop STEM elementary school Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, as part of the Lunch Tray program. Various groups, such as firefighters, police officers and 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 eat lunch with the kids. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
Buy Photo Reprints

New London Public Schools Superintendent Cynthia Ritchie, right, chats with kindergarten students as she joins members of the New London fire department as they sit for lunch and conversation with students at the Winthrop STEM elementary school Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, as part of the Lunch Tray program. Various groups, such as firefighters, police officers and 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 eat lunch with the kids. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
Buy Photo Reprints

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 the Winthrop STEM elementary school Monday, Jan. 7, 2019, as part of the Lunch Tray program. Various groups such as firefighters, police officers and 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 eat lunch with the kids. (Sean D. Elliot/The Day)
Buy Photo Reprints