Local Success Stories
Pennsylvania School Districts Receive Expanding Breakfast Awards
Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association recently recognized two school districts for their efforts to serve breakfast to their students in creative ways, and with great results. Both recipients of the Expanding Breakfast Awards have shown that by creating new breakfast opportunities for students, more students start the school day ready to learn.
David Lloyd, foodservice director with the Harrisburg School District, received the $5,000 first place Expanding Breakfast Award. Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association recognized Lloyd for his outstanding success of the classroom breakfast program at Ben Franklin School. The program had greater than 70 percent participation in its first year. Lloyd credits the program’s success to the strong support from the school’s administration. He will use the award to market the breakfast program and purchase creative nutrition education student resources and additional portable carts to transport breakfast bags to classrooms.
Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association awarded the $3,000 second place award to Homer-Center School District. Foodservice Director Susan McLoughlin provides breakfast after first period at Homer-Center High School. This mid-morning breakfast encourages students to make breakfast part of their daily routine, and 82 percent of students eat breakfast each day.
As members of the Pennsylvania Breakfast Brigade, which provides support and training for districts committed to school breakfast, Lloyd and McLoughlin are advocates of alternative breakfast service. Absenteeism and tardiness have decreased, while meal participation, test scores and student behavior have improved.
School breakfast is an important tool for helping students improve their health, academic performance and more. Expanding breakfast beyond the traditional limits is a proven way to increase participation. And that’s a win-win situation for everyone involved.