School breakfast program starts the day right

Governor Bredesen highlights “School Breakfast Week”

Ask any teacher how to start a student’s school day right and the answer will be “breakfast.” The morning meal provides the fuel for learning and sets the pace for healthy living.

“Students who eat breakfast have the fuel they need to do their best in school,” Governor Bredesen said. “The School Breakfast Program gives students a nutritious start to the school day and allows them to concentrate on the critical task of learning.”

Governor Phil Bredesen has proclaimed March 8 – 12 School Breakfast Week in Tennessee in recognition of the important role the School Breakfast Program plays in the lives of Tennessee students. The School Breakfast Program is a national, federally funded program that provides more than 30 million nutritionally balanced breakfasts to Tennessee students each year.

The School Breakfast Program, authorized by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, began as a pilot program to provide funding for breakfast in poor areas and areas where children had to travel a great distance to school. It was designed to provide a nutritious breakfast to children who might otherwise not receive one. The program became a permanent fixture in school systems in 1975, with the intent being “available in all schools where it is needed to provide adequate nutrition for children in attendance.” The Child Nutrition Act of 1989 subsequently required that the Secretary of Agriculture provide funds to States to support the costs of starting school breakfast programs in low-income areas.

“What we find particularly exciting is that this [school breakfast] is a relatively simple intervention that can significantly improve children’s academic performance and psychological well-being.” — J. Michael Murphy, EdD, School Breakfast Program researcher, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School

This year’s campaign, “School Breakfast – Ready Set Go!,” introduces students to the importance of school breakfast and demonstrates how a school breakfast program prepares students for a busy day at school.  The theme will also help students learning about the importance of eating health and being active.

“Whether a child is too sleepy to eat breakfast before he leaves home, or is not hungry when he catches an early bus, he can get an inexpensive, nutritious breakfast at school,” said Sarah White, Director of School Nutrition. “This program means no student should be distracted from their studies by hunger.”

National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) was launched in 1989 to raise awareness of the availability of the School Breakfast Program (SBP) to all children. Each year, the School Nutrition Association (SNA), along with Department’s of Education, helps schools to celebrate NSBW with a fun theme.

For more information, contact Amanda Maynord Anderson at (615) 532-7817 or Amanda.Anderson@tn.gov.