Schools celebrate National Breakfast Week

The School Breakfast Program began as a pilot project in 1966, and was made permanent in 1975. Jenkins County Schools will celebrate National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) March 3-7. NSBW is designed to help raise awareness of and gain support for the role that school foodservice and nutrition programs play in the lives of America's children today, and in the strength of America tomorrow.

School breakfast is the most important meal of the day and provides the necessary fuel to start a day of learning and achievement. It provides 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance of protein, calcium and iron, vitamins A and C and calories, as well as meeting the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Research has shown that children who eat breakfast perform better on standardized tests, have fewer health issues, behave better in class, and make better grades. In addition, eating breakfast helps reduce obesity and increases the students' nutritional intake. Research also shows that children who skip breakfast rarely make up for missed nutrients later in the day. The National School Breakfast Program (NSBP) has served our nation admirably through advanced practices and nutrition education; and the NSBP is dedicated to the health and wellbeing of our nation's children.

The theme this year for NSBW is "Fuel Your Imagination." As part of the celebration, Jenkins County School Food Service would like to invite parents/ guardians to eat breakfast with their child(ren) at the elementary school cafeteria. Parent/ guardian invitation dates and times are as follows: Thursday, March 6, for grades kindergarten, 2nd, and 4th, and Friday, March 7, for grades Pre-K, 1st, 3rd and 5th. Breakfast begins at 7:30 a.m. Pre-k eats at 8:15 a.m.

The cost of an adult breakfast is $1.50. For further information, please contact Debra Herrmann at the board of education or Allison Dann at the elementary cafeteria.