Sandovals challenge Nevada schools to adopt breakfast program

CARSON CITY — Gov. Brian Sandoval and first lady Kathleen Sandoval visited Empire Elementary in the capital on Wednesday to issue a challenge to schools around the state to increase the number of children who eat breakfast at school.

The School Breakfast Challenge aims to increase breakfast participation in Nevada by 20 percent. Schools that take part in the challenge can receive technical assistance and equipment to improve their breakfast programs. The schools that see the largest gains in participation will receive prizes and other incentives when the challenge ends in the spring.

Wal-Mart has donated $5,000 for challenge prizes.

Principal Evelyn Allred said Empire was the first school in the district to introduce the “Breakfast in the Classroom” program where students are served “after the bell” rather than before the school day begins.

Participation had been 24 percent but jumped to 81 percent to 85 percent after the program began, she said. Meals are wheeled to each classroom and students who want breakfast eat before instruction begins.

Since the program began, test scores have increased and the school has gone from a “school needing improvement” to a three-star school, Allred said.

“I can’t say it’s all because of breakfast, but I can say that breakfast contributed to our students being full, well fed, nourished and able to focus on their daily tasks,” she said.

Student Fatima Marquez said breakfast has helped her study and do better on her tests.

“I am so relieved that we have some breakfast so we can actually have something to eat when we’re at school,” she said.

Sandoval has included in his budget $2 million to expand the classroom breakfast program. He will also introduce legislation to increase federal spending on the program.

He credited Kathleen Sandoval with focusing her efforts on hunger in the schools.

Kathleen Sandoval said children can’t get a good education if they are hungry and can’t pay attention.

Sandoval acknowledged he vetoed a bill in 2011 that would have required the implementation of a school breakfast program. His veto message said local school districts could best determine how to administer nutrition programs.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.