Governor Bredesen Proclaims March 5-9 School Breakfast Week

Nashville, TN – Governor Phil Bredesen has proclaimed March 5-9, 2007 School Breakfast Week in Tennessee in recognition of the valuable role the National School Breakfast Program plays in the lives of Tennessee students.

“Students who eat breakfast enjoy dramatic benefits such as better math and reading scores, increased attentiveness, reduced absentee and tardiness rates and improved behavior,” Governor Bredesen said. “The School Breakfast Program affords students the nutritious start they need to concentrate on their job of learning.”

Research shows kids who skip breakfast rarely make up for the missed nutrients later in the day. School breakfasts provided through this program provide at least 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance of protein, calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C. The purpose of National School Breakfast Week is to increase awareness of the availability of breakfast at school.

“No two issues are more important to Governor Bredesen than education and health,” Education Commissioner Lana Seivers said. “We are working toward a healthier lifestyle in Tennessee and that includes teaching students about the importance of a nutritious breakfast.”

The theme for National School Breakfast Week 2007 is “A Whole World of School Breakfasts.” The focus of the week is on exposing students to a menu of international breakfast foods and providing insight into what kids around the world eat for breakfast.

“Whether a child is too sleepy to eat breakfast before leaving home or not hungry when he catches an early bus, he can get an inexpensive, nutritious breakfast at school,” Tennessee Director of School Nutrition Sarah White said.

Permanently established in 1975, the National School Breakfast Program is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture. The program provides breakfast to approximately 9.3 million school children each year.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.