Kansas Department of Education
TOPEKA – The Kansas State Department of Education in partnership with Midwest Dairy Council, Harvesters, Kansas Food Bank, Second Harvest Community Food Bank and Kansas Action for Healthy Kids today announced the winners of the 2013-2014 Kansas School Breakfast Challenge. All Kansas school districts and private schools that participated in the 2012-2013 School Breakfast Program were challenged to increase student breakfast participation by a minimum of eight percent per student enrolled.
Russell USD 407, which increased participation by 13 percent, earned bronze medal designation and will receive a $1,000 cash prize.
Studies show students who eat a healthy breakfast have 1.5 fewer sick days per year, see their math scores increase by 17 percent, and are 20 percent more likely to graduate from high school.
“When you consider that something as simple as eating a healthy breakfast can improve our children’s academic success rate and then you factor in the number of children who, for whatever reason, don’t or can’t do this, you realize very quickly that our schools have a real opportunity to step in and make a difference,” said Interim Education Commissioner Brad Neuenswander. “I am so impressed with the innovative programs that schools have implemented to accommodate the nutritional needs of students.”
School Breakfast Challenge participants were grouped into six tiers based on enrollment size and Gold, Silver and Bronze medal winners were awarded cash prizes in each tier.
Gold Medal winners, receiving $4,000 cash prizes:
USD 204 Bonner Springs, increased participation by 140%
USD 292 Wheatland, increased participation by 136%
USD 448 Inman, increased participation by 116%
USD 233 Olathe, increased participation by 32 %
USD 232 De Soto, increased participation by 24%
USD 244 Burlington, increased participation by 15%
Silver Medal winners, receiving $2,500 cash prizes:
St. Benedicts, increased participation by 75%
Bishop Ward High School, increased participation by 58%
USD 503 Parsons, increased participation by 22%
USD 102 Cimarron-Ensign, increased participation by 13%
USD 500 Kansas City, increased participation by 13%
Bronze Medal winners, receiving $1,000 cash prizes:
St. Mary’s School/Preschool, increased participation by 67%
USD 411 Goessel, increased participation by 53%
USD 473 Chapman, increased participation by 20%
USD 407 Russell County, increased participation by 13%