School Breakfast Challenge Wrap-Up
June 8, 2015
By Chad Robinson, Milford Branch Director
It’s the last week of class for many Delaware students, and we are proud to announce that this past year many schools have made great strides to increase participation in school breakfast!
Last May, we issued our first school breakfast report. This report highlighted the current state of school breakfast programs across Delaware, while presenting opportunities for advancement and opportunities. The report indicated challenges to increasing school breakfast as:
- Lack of administrative support and a sense of resigning to “business as usual”
- Resistance from teachers who fear that it will affect their schedules, their classrooms and their instructional time
- A belief amongst custodians that breakfast in the classroom will lead to an increased workload beyond their means
- A lack of awareness amongst parents and the general public as to the importance of breakfast and its easy availability in schools
In response to the findings from the report, we launched our first School Breakfast Challenge. Our goal was to highlight best practice schools and distribute $20,000 in cash grants to schools that are striving to increase participation through innovation.
Cash incentives were available in the following categories:
- District School with the Highest Overall Participation in School Breakfast
- District School with the Highest Participation Increase in School Breakfast (10/13 to 10/14)
- Charter/Single Unit with the Highest Overall Participation in School Breakfast
- Charter/Single Unit with the Highest Participation Increase in School Breakfast (10/13 to 10/14)
At last month’s Coming Together: A Community Response to Hunger conference, the monetary awards were presented to the winning schools. In partnership with the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association, Seaford High School won the top prize, a $3,000 cash award and a visit from retired NFL player Sean Landeta! Landeta spent time talking to students about healthy eating, exercising and doing the right thing. At the conclusion of his remarks he signed autographs and showed off his two Super Bowl rings!
Congratulations to all of the winners of our first-ever School Breakfast Challenge!
District Highest Participation Overall:
- New Castle Elementary School $3,000
- Stubbs Elementary $2,000
- West Seaford Elementary $1,500
- Seaford Middle School $500
District Highest Increase in Participation from 2013-2014:
- Seaford High School $3,000
- Stanton Middle School $2,000
- Frederick Douglass $1,500
- Blades Elementary $500
Charter/Single Unit Highest Participation Overall:
- Academy of Dover $3,000
Charter/Single Unit Highest Increase in Participation from 2013-2014:
- Family Foundations Academy $3,000
Congratulations to all of our winners!
District Highest Participation Overall: First place – New Castle Elementary School
District Highest Participation Overall: Second Place – Stubbs Elementary
District Highest Participation Overall: Third Place – West Seaford Elementary
District Highest Participation Overall: Fourth Place – Seaford Middle School
District Highest Increase in Participation (2013-2014): First Place – Seaford High School
District Highest Increase in Participation (2013-2014): Second Place – Sanford Middle School
District Highest Increase in Participation (2013-2014): Third Place – Frederick Douglass Elementary
District Highest Increase in Participation (2013-2014): Fourth Place – Blades Elementary
Charter/Single Unit Highest Participation Overall: Academy of Dover
Charter/Single Unit Increase in Participation (2013-2014): Family Foundations Academy
