Three area schools from Greeley, Golden and Northglenn win innovation awards
DENVER (Nov. 12, 2012) – Breakfast champion can be the new monikers for three area schools and four school districts throughout the state. The Colorado School Breakfast Challenge, presented by the No Kid Hungry Colorado Campaign, announces the winning school districts and schools for the 2011-12 school year.
Last year, Gov. John Hickenlooper invited all school districts to participate in the 2011-12 Colorado School Breakfast Challenge, with one primary goal—to increase student participation in the School Breakfast Program. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, offers students with a healthy start to each school day; yet, according to the Colorado Department of Education, of the more than 217,000 low- income students in Colorado who ate a daily free or reduced-price lunch in 2010, only 87,000 participated in the School Breakfast Program.
Schools rallied around the competition by implementing innovative serving models like Breakfast in the Classroom as well as engaging students to encourage participation and showcase the importance of breakfast. The winning school districts and schools will be recognized as champions of the Colorado School Breakfast Challenge with on-site celebrations and check presentations for their prize money on Nov. 13 and Nov. 15.
The complete list of the 2011-12 Colorado School Breakfast Challenge winners are as follows, with data provided by the Colorado Department of Education:
- For school districts with under 40 percent free and reduced-price eligibility:
- West Grand School District awarded gold and $5,000 for a 27.69 percentage point increase
- Ridgway School District awarded silver and $3,000 for a 27.4 percentage point increase
- For school districts with 40 percent or higher free and reduced-price eligibility:
- Burlington School District awarded gold and $5,000 for an 87.02 percentage point increase
- Wray School District awarded silver and $3,000 for a 51.59 percentage point increase
- For innovation in school breakfast programs:
- Northridge High School in Weld County School District 6 for their use of nutrition education materials and a breakfast satisfaction survey for students
- Bell Middle School in Jeffco Public Schools for revamping their cafeteria to mimic the look and feel of a coffee shop through a school-wide collaboration
- Stukey Elementary School in Adams 12 Five Star Schools for their Wake Up and Walk program where students and parents are encouraged to walk and eat breakfast together afterwards
“The No Kid Hungry Colorado’s hope is all children in Colorado will have access to a nutritious breakfast that will help them learn and succeed in school,” shared Gov. John Hickenlooper. “We congratulate all of the winning school districts and innovation award winners for being breakfast champions and increasing participation through this challenge.”
The annual Colorado School Breakfast Challenge is presented by the No Kid Hungry Colorado Campaign, a statewide, public-private initiative of Hunger Free Colorado, Share Our Strength and the Office of Governor John Hickenlooper. Together, the Campaign partners are working to ensure that all children have nutritious food at home, at school and in their communities.
Their comprehensive five-year plan details 10 goals to end child hunger by 2015, with one focusing on the statewide expansion of the School Breakfast Program. For the 2010-11 school year, 108,509 average daily school breakfasts were served, a growth of 11.25 percent compared to the previous year.
“One in five children in Colorado is at risk of hunger and a recent Share Our Strength survey showed that three in five teachers say children regularly come to school hungry,” said Summer Gathercole, Director of Share Our Strength Colorado. “Models like Breakfast in the Classroom make school breakfast more accessible and ensure our students are prepared to learn each day. The results show that simple changes to a school’s breakfast program can create long-lasting change.”
Studies show that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, particularly for children. Those who do not eat a regular, nutritious morning meal are more likely to struggle with poor academic performance, exhibit behavior problems and experience poor health. Eating breakfast can improve math and reading, along with standardized test scores. It also can decrease tardiness and suspensions as well as improve memory, attentiveness and overall health.
As part of the Campaign, Hunger Free Colorado works with schools and communities to increase participation in the School Breakfast Program by implementing innovative serving models that incorporate breakfast as part of the school’s morning routine. Instead of the traditional method of serving breakfast in the cafeteria before classes start, elementary to high schools can make it easier for students with Breakfast in the Classroom.
“The School Breakfast Program is proven to improve children’s nutrition, education, behavior and overall well- being, and it’s also one of the most effective ways to end child hunger in our state,” said Kathy Underhill, executive director of Hunger Free Colorado, the state’s leading anti-hunger organization. “The success with the School Breakfast Challenge shows we can provide more students with a nutritious start to the day and ensure fewer children go hungry at school.”
For more information on the No Kid Hungry Colorado Campaign, visit NoKidHungry.org/Colorado. To learn more about Hunger Free Colorado, the issue of hunger in Colorado and how you can be a part of the solution, visit HungerFreeColorado.org.
Media Contact: Michelle Ray, Director of Communications, (720) 432-0255