In an effort to make school a little more fun, Long Cane Middle School principal Chip Giles is heading straight for the heart of all students - via their stomachs.

From nacho bars and breakfast-for-lunch to grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, Giles hosts monthly “paloozas,” or parties, for his students. Burgerpalooza means grilled hamburgers; nacho fiesta means nachos with plenty of extras, including cheese, sour cream and jalapenos; and hot dogpalooza is a grilled hot dog with a fixings bar of chili, cheese, relish and slaw.

Although school officials can’t change what is offered, they can add to what students are already given. Extra condiments like ranch dressing and ketchup and the additions of the fixings bar add to what the paloozas provide.

The hamburgers are the same, the hot wings are the same, but being able to add a little more to the menu makes it that much better, Giles said.

And they’ve all been a hit with students and teachers alike.

“We put a lot of effort into making the school environment enjoyable for all students,” Giles said, “and one of the many ways we do it is having themed lunches that aren’t only delicious but fun.”

Recently, Giles and his “Grill Team” spent a Friday lunchtime outside with three full grills loaded down with the same hamburgers students would normally have. This time, however, the patties were flipped over charcoal and propane, ketchup was passed out, and mustard was in full effect as students had a real grilled hamburger at school - smoky flavor and all.

Students lined up in advance, waiting for one of Giles’ grillers to load the serving staff down with burgers.

Seventh-grade students Kendravious Dozier, Emily Smith, Ashley Shuman, Skylar Wheatley, DeCarlos Milliner and Justice Davis like the music Giles plays, watching them grill the burgers and having fun more than anything else.

I liked “the sounds and the enjoyment of the celebration,” Dozier said.

Nacho Fiesta and hot wing lunches were popular with all the students. They agreed that the best part of Burgerpalooza was the burgers themselves.

“It’s the same food that would have been cooked in the kitchen, except we cooked it out on the grill,” Giles said. “Everybody likes grilled hamburgers and hot dogs.

“We fire up the grills and get the music going, and the whole school just starts smelling good by 9:30 a.m., 10 o’clock.”

Giles uses the paloozas to push school participation and get students excited about where they are and what they’re doing. And it’s working. Parents of students come to help Giles grill out after hearing from their children what the principal is doing. Students who normally take their lunches to school pick up a tray in-stead.

More than anything, burgerpalooza, nacho fiesta and all additions to school lunches are about having fun.

“(Students) just place a high premium on enjoying being in the school, in the building, enjoying what’s going on,” he said. “We do a lot of things in addition to this that are fun and don’t compromise the academic integrity - I just think they enhance the experience.”

In the end, it’s about making lunches more attractive for students and making sure they have fun.

The principal already has planned another nacho fiesta and burgerpalooza for the near future, as well as a tailgate party this month to celebrate the new football season.

They’ve had chicken wing days, submarine sandwiches, pasta and pizzapaloozas - even days where the students voted for the meal they wanted to have.

“We’re trying to make it fun,” Giles said. “We’re trying to make the students enjoy our cafeteria more, we’re trying to make our students enjoy school more, and not just students, but the faculty like it, too. It breaks up the monotony.

“It works great. Kids really like it,” he said. “… And plus, it’s just fun.”

Trey Wood can be reached at twood@lagrangenews. com or (706) 884-7311, Ext. 228.