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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Students at Austintown Elementary School purchased lunches March 4 for National Breakfast Week.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Kitchen manager Cindy Todd served a breakfast of doughnuts to Austintown Elementary School students on March 4 during National Breakfast Week.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Students at Austintown Elementary School enjoyed breakfast on March 4 for doughnut day as part of National Breakfast Week.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Kindergarten, first- and second-grade students compete to see which class purchased the most breakfasts for National Breakfast Week.
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Neighbors | Jessica Harker.Austintown Elementary School students enjoyed breakfast in the schools cafeteria on March 4 during National Breakfast Week.
By JESSICA HARKER
The Austintown School District celebrated National Breakfast week starting on March 4.
All Austintown schools offered prizes and give a ways to students who purchased breakfast as a way to encourage healthy eating.
“Eating breakfast helps them study, it helps them focus throughout the day and a lot of students don’t get that at home,” said Cindy Todd, AES kitchen manager.
Todd organized a competition between grades, giving away doughnut pillows to select students in the grade that has the most students purchase breakfast throughout the week.
“It’s a way to encourage more students to eat breakfast,” Todd said. “It’s a huge state-wide push.”
The theme for International Breakfast Week this year is Start Your Engines.
Todd said to celebrate the theme she is giving away hot wheel cars and pencils to all students who purchase breakfast throughout the week.
“This is not something we are required to do, but we do it, because we know how important it is,” Todd said.
AMS students who purchase breakfast throughout the week were entered to into a raffle to receive scientific calculators.
Students at Fitch High School and AMS who purchase breakfast were also entered to receive movie tickets.
“We just want to be sure that all the kids who need to eat are eating, which is why the breakfast program is so great,” Todd said.
She explained that most of the students who purchase breakfast at AES are on the free and reduced lunch program, outlining the need for offering breakfast at schools.
“We try to give them the food that they like, while still meeting the guidelines,” Todd said. “That way everyone can enjoy the options we have available.”