Written by: Claire Bisch
A survey released in December to improve lunchtime at KCI uncovered that over 35% of students reported feeling lonely at lunchtime from a sample size of 160 students of all grades. The survey was conducted by Claire Bisch and Erin Manning for grade ten civics.
With the increase of social media and phones in schools, mental health struggles have been on the rise in Ontario’s young people. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, 13%, more than one in ten of Canadians ages 15 and over reported always feeling lonely (“How Does Loneliness Fuel Misinformation?”).
The report revealed that “this number jumps to almost 1 in 4 for young people aged 15 to 24,” stating that the problem goes beyond individual feelings of loneliness, but has led to a full-fledged loneliness epidemic in Canada.
It can be easy to overlook these issues when they are broad and far-spread, but students find it much more difficult to ignore when they are happening so close to home and within the KCI community. But, with this newly discovered information, is KCI really doing all it can to support every student to have a successful high school experience?
11.9% of Raiders surveyed reported having difficulties finding people to sit with during lunch, and an additional 22.9% answered that they had trouble finding social activities to join at lunchtime.
KCI is home to many clubs, activities, and sports teams, from DECA to GSA, French Club to Spanish Club, the MSA to hockey, football, and even rugby teams. But despite all of this, the survey results make it clear that these opportunities are not reaching all students.
Clubs and teams can be a very big commitment with early morning practices and additional work required outside of school. Many students anonymously shared that they would love to “have more events from day to day” around the KCI community. As well, multiple students voiced their desire to have “more activities to do with friends” and “fun activities to do” to make lunchtime more social and “less boring.”
Besides having more social activities, almost all Raiders surveyed commented on their desire to have additional seating at lunchtime, aside from the cafeteria, that is off the floor and out of hallways.
41.3% of the students responded that they often have to sit on the ground, but in wintertime this can be especially difficult with water and road salt being trekked into the school regardless of the hard work of KCI’s custodians.
Students privately shared their desire to have “more places to sit that don't get wet during the winter” and highlighted that it would be “really nice to have more space for people to sit down with their friends comfortably.” One student shared, “[T]he cafeteria feels very closed off, and not nearly big enough for all of KCI's students.” And it is true that with a population of approximately 1,600 students, the cafeteria is only big enough to hold about 150-250 of them.
But then, how does all of this relate to the significant isolation within the KCI community, with a third of students reporting feeling lonely? According to Food for Good, a Canadian organization dedicated to providing school meal programs, “Eating together reduces the likelihood of social isolation, providing a designated time for social interaction. This can have a positive impact on mental health by creating a sense of belonging and connection” (Fahad Cayda).
With all of that said, the students surveyed concur that something needs to be done about the current lunchtime situation at KCI to promote socialization and reduce loneliness. School spirit is not just something students see at sports games or big school events, but also in the day-to-day environment around the school building.
Works Cited
Fahad Cayda. “The Social Benefits of School Lunchtime.” Foodforgood.ca, 9 Mar. 2024, foodforgood.ca/2024/03/09/the-social-benefits-of-school-lunchtime/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
“How Does Loneliness Fuel Misinformation?” Canadian Medical Association, 2024, www.cma.ca/healthcare-for-real/how-does-loneliness-fuel-misinformation. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.