| For many years, scholars have recognized the | | | | • Nearly 80 elementary schools now |
| link between a good breakfast and improved | | | | offer a universal breakfast - all children |
| student behavior and academic performance. | | | | eat together for free. The "poor kid" stigma |
| Boston schools see breakfast as their first | | | | has been eliminated. |
| tool of success. | | | | |
| | | | • Participating Boston schools make |
| In 2000, the Boston schools partnered with | | | | breakfast a normal and expected part of the |
| the Massachusetts General Hospital to conduct | | | | morning schedule - no different than taking |
| a study on the impact of the federal School | | | | attendance. |
| Breakfast Program in 16 of their elementary | | | | |
| schools. Researchers found that a simple | | | | • Boston schools serve breakfast in a |
| breakfast of milk, juice and cereal provides | | | | variety of ways, using the method that works |
| a fourth of the Recommended Daily Allowance | | | | best for each individual school's culture. |
| (RDA) of key nutrients needed by growing | | | | Methods range from serving cold or hot food |
| children. Breakfast reduces hunger in the | | | | in the classroom from a cooler or thermal |
| classroom and improves the overall nutrition | | | | pack; grab and go, brown bag breakfasts; |
| of the students. They found that student | | | | sending students to the cafeteria after |
| behavior and grades improved, especially in | | | | attendance; or a combination of these |
| mathematics. Students were able to spend more | | | | approaches. |
| time on tasks and were more creative. | | | | |
| Attendance improved. Students demonstrated | | | | • Involving the children makes the |
| better concentration facilities and improved | | | | program more successful. Children rotating |
| emotional functioning. Trips to the nurse's | | | | being in charge of food delivery to the |
| office were drastically reduced. | | | | classroom, after-breakfast trash removal, and |
| | | | returning leftovers to the cafeteria instills |
| Breakfast is by far the least expensive | | | | pride and responsibility. They become part of |
| program for improving academic achievement, | | | | the program, not just participants. |
| yet less than half the children eligible for | | | | |
| the free or reduced price meals participate | | | | The Boston schools have been recognized for |
| nationwide. One major obstacle is perception | | | | their efforts in the School Breakfast |
| - breakfast programs are viewed as programs | | | | Program. Project Bread, the state's leading |
| for the "poor kids", a label many students | | | | anti-hunger organization and Boston schools |
| wish to avoid. The other major obstacle is | | | | partner in the School Breakfast Program, |
| timing. Most schools across the country serve | | | | awards Boston schools that have achieved an |
| breakfast before the start of school - | | | | 80 percent or greater student participation - |
| children who arrive late due to tight morning | | | | the point at which the breakfast program pays |
| schedules or on buses that are late, miss | | | | for itself with federal dollars. |
| breakfast. | | | | |
| | | | In 2002, Project Bread recognized 10 |
| Many of the Boston schools have implemented | | | | elementary schools with the School Breakfast |
| innovative strategies to overcome the | | | | Excellence Award. Each award is $1,000 that |
| obstacles of perception and timing: | | | | the school's principal can use for any |
| | | | school-related expense. |