Kelly Clarkson features Iowa high schooler who donated thousands of pounds of vegetables

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez, Des Moines Register
Updated ·2 min read
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FFA, 4-H Club and planting produce. That's what takes up most of this 17-year-old's time.

Iowa native Lauren Schroeder is sharing her story on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" on Wednesday, May 1. Schroeder has donated thousands of pounds of produce to nonprofits all over the state.

The craziest part? She grew it all herself.

Lauren Schroeder poses with a haul of produce she grew.
Lauren Schroeder poses with a haul of produce she grew.

Wait, thousands of pounds?

Schroeder is a junior at Calamus-Wheatland High School who started her vegetable growing endeavors during COVID times.

"Back in COVID I was packing boxes for a nonprofit," she said. "I saw their produce. There was none."

Schroeder knew people needed more than canned food and vegetables. So she took matters into her own hands and asked her parents if she could use some of their family's farmland.

With 7,000 pounds of vegetables grown and donated, Schroeder is now making donations to two nonprofits a week.

From high school to 'The Kelly Clarkson Show'

Lauren Schroeder appeared on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," and shared how and why she grew thousands of pound of produce.
Lauren Schroeder appeared on "The Kelly Clarkson Show," and shared how and why she grew thousands of pound of produce.

Schroeder will share her story on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" this Wednesday at 3 p.m. on KCCI. She shot the interview remotely with Clarkson via Skype.

It wasn't until Schroeder got into the Skype waiting room that she got nervous, but her mom said she shook it off quickly.

Interviewed and filmed in front of a live studio audience in New York, Schroeder gave all the details from when she realized there was an issue in her community to how she keeps her produce farm up and running.

At the end of the show, Schroeder got an unexpected surprise from Clarkson.

How to watch Lauren Schroeder on 'The Kelly Clarkson Show'

New episodes of "The Kelly Clarkson Show" air weekdays at 3 p.m. on KCCI in central Iowa. Replays of past episodes can be found on NBC.com and Peacock.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this article listed the incorrect date the show will air. It is Wednesday, May 1.

Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Kelly Clarkson interviews Iowan who donated 7,000 pounds of vegetables