Jump Start Breakfast celebrates successes, statewide launch
Posted on May 29, 2019 in Capitol Connection, Featured, Main
How do you entice hundreds of students across the state to eat a good school breakfast? The answer from Hawai‘i’s breakfast leadership team has been to create a high-profile campaign and some mouth-watering recipes, find schools willing to take up the challenge, and enlist the support of local heroes like Marcus Mariota and other community partners. On top of that, Governor Ige proclaimed an official School Breakfast Month, and ‘Ōlelo Community Media added a new breakfast category to its student video competition that drew 50 entries.
First lady Dawn Amano Ige with (from left) Daniela Kittinger of Hawai’i Appleseed, Central Middle’s principal Anne-Marie Murphy, and Dexter Kishida, Department of Education program specialist celebrate the school’s 23 percent increase in breakfast participation.
Now, to help take the breakfast initiative statewide, the Jump Start Breakfast program is launching a new website, ainapono.org/jumpstart/. The site has a host of ideas and resources that can be tapped by teachers, principals and nutrition directors. They range from innovative breakfast delivery options to student and school success stories and examples of the far-reaching community impact of eating a good breakfast.
Moanalua High students Ashley Hendrickson and Gilliah Bode took top honors in the “sweet” breakfast category for their yummy acai bowl.
Hawai‘i’s winning campaign was celebrated at a summit May 8 at Kapi‘olani Community College, where eight student culinary teams vied for top prizes in savory and sweet breakfast categories.
Fern Elementary principal Glen Miyasato (center) accepts the award for “Most Innovative” breakfast program from Mrs. Ige, Daniela Kittinger of Hawai’i Appleseed and Dexter Kishida of the DOE.
The teams included Moanalua, Mililani, ‘Aiea, Campbell, Kaiser and Pearl City high schools on O‘ahu and Baldwin and King Kekaulike on Maui. Also honored were two schools that received the First Lady School Breakfast Champion awards. They were Fern Elementary with the “Most Innovative” breakfast program and Central Middle School with the “Most
Improved” student breakfast participation — an increase of 23 percent over last year. In addition, first lady Dawn Amano-Ige was named to the national School Breakfast Hall of Fame for her leadership in elevating the issue of school breakfast and helping build awareness of its importance.
Pearl City High students Ashlynn Saffery and Mikah Takayesu placed first in the “savory” category for their breakfast burrito.
The Jump Start Breakfast program was launched last year with the help of a $60,000 grant from the No Kid Hungry national organization. “We had one of the lowest school breakfast participation rates in the country, so we knew we had to do something for the sake of our students,” said Mrs. Ige. She praised team members for securing the initial grant, the DOE food services branch staff for embracing the campaign, and local partners such as Hawai‘i Appleseed for their support. “Students need to eat a nutritious breakfast for good health and academic success,” she said. “That is why Governor Ige and I are so committed to this effort to make Hawai‘i a healthier place for everyone.” (Go to https://bit.ly/2M77OBA for more photos.)
First lady Dawn Amano-Ige was recognized for her leadership and named to the School Breakfast Hall of Fame by Summer Kriegshauser, senior program manager of the national No Kid Hungry campaign.