Award presentation scheduled for Nov. 13 at Board of Education meeting
DENVER (Nov. 8, 2012) – Breakfast champion can be the new moniker for West Grand School District of Kremmling, Colo. They excelled in the Colorado School Breakfast Challenge, an initiative supported by Gov. John Hickenlooper which challenged school districts to increase student participation in their breakfast programs during the 2011-12 school year. For their first-place finish with 150 more students eating school breakfast, the area’s district will be awarded $5,000 during a celebration at the West Grand Board of Education meeting on Nov. 13.
All school districts were invited 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 who qualify for free or reduced-price meals 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.
School officials in the West Grand School District rallied around the competition by implementing innovative serving models in some schools. Students played a vital role not only by eating school breakfast but through student-run promotions and activities to encourage participation and showcase the importance of breakfast.
West Grand ended the school year as one of the leading districts in the challenge. Amongst school districts with under 40 percent free and reduced-price eligibility, West Grand School District placed first by increasing participation from 23.51 percent to 51.2 percent among their schools with the School Breakfast Program.
The district will be recognized as a champion of the 2011-12 Colorado School Breakfast Challenge with an on- site celebration and check presentation for their $5,000 award. This will take place at the Board of Education meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 13, at the district’s office in Kremmling.
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 focused 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.
“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 West Grand School District for being a breakfast champion and increasing participation through this challenge.”
Studies show that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, particularly for children. Those who do not eat a morning meal are more likely to struggle with poor academic performance, exhibit behavior problems and experience poor health. Eating breakfast actually can improve math, reading and 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. “West Grand School District’s success in 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.”
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
For more information on the No Kid Hungry Colorado Campaign, visit co.nokidhungry.org. To learn more about Hunger Free Colorado, the issue of hunger in Colorado and how you can be a part of the solution, visit www.hungerfreecolorado.org.
Media Contact: Michelle Ray, Hunger Free Colorado, (720) 432-0255