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Jul. 1, 2010
The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) announced that 207 schools across the state, including eight in Garrett County, will share $2.8 million in state funds to participate in the Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA) classroom breakfast program during the 2010-2011 school year. The Garrett County schools include Accident, Crellin, Dennett Road, Friendsville, Grantsville, Kitzmiller, and Yough Glades elementary schools, and Bloomington School.
“The importance of good nutrition has recently gained national attention. Maryland Meals for Achievement is an easy, inexpensive way to fuel students’ minds for academic success. Students who participate in the in-classroom breakfast program have fewer health issues and improved concentration, behave better in class, and score higher on standardized tests,” said state superintendent of schools Nancy S. Grasmick.
In addition to academic benefits, breakfast has health benefits as well. Eating breakfast has been shown to reduce the risk of obesity. One study found that adolescents who eat breakfast tend to have a lower body mass index than those who do not eat breakfast. Other studies found that students who eat breakfast consume more essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals such as calcium, dietary fiber, and protein.
With the school breakfast program, students have the opportunity to eat school breakfast in their classrooms, and breakfast is incorporated into the academic day. Students do not pay for the meal, regardless of family income. Schools with MMFA have an average daily breakfast participation of 70 percent compared to schools without the program, which serve a traditional cafeteria breakfast and have an average daily breakfast participation of 10 percent.
There are efforts under way to increase breakfast participation in all Maryland schools, according to Grasmick. The school breakfast program is one of several nutrition programs included in the Governor’s Partnership to End Childhood Hunger in Maryland. This partnership seeks to eliminate childhood hunger by 2015, a goal that is consistent with President Obama’s efforts.
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