2014-2015 School Breakfast Challenge Promotion

A Collaboration between the Kentucky Department of Education and the

Southeast United Dairy Industry Association (SUDIA)

The Southeast United Dairy Industry Association, SUDIA, is partnering with the Kentucky Department of Education’s Division of School and Community Nutrition to work with schools/districts on innovative ways to increase breakfast participation and encourages schools/districts to consider alternative service options such as grab and go meals, in-class meals and meals served after the first class period. The goal of the Kentucky School Breakfast Challenge is to help schools increase student participation inbreakfast programs. Students who eat breakfast show improved academic performance—including a general increase in math and reading scores; yet many Kentucky students don’t take advantage of the opportunity to eat breakfast at school.

Together, the challenge partners are helping to ensure students have a healthy start to their school day. Enrolled schools have an opportunity to apply for grant funds and a chance to win prizes for having the greatest increase in breakfast participation. Thanks to the generous support of dairy farmers in the Southeast, SUDIA will offer funding in the form of grants to provide equipment and initial costs associated with implementing an innovative strategy for expanding the breakfast program at those schools enrolling in the challenge.

PURPOSE: To motivate schools to enroll in a statewide Breakfast Challenge where each school would implement an innovative breakfast program service strategy in order to increase the number of children in Kentucky who have access to and who participate, daily, in the National School Breakfast Program.

ELIGIBILITY: All Kentucky Schools are eligible to enroll in the challenge. Schools must be enrolled in the Kentucky Breakfast Challenge and implement an innovative breakfast serving model for the purpose of increasing breakfast participation to be eligible for grant funding.

ENROLLMENT DUE DATE: Enrollment for the Kentucky Breakfast Challenge will be open March 1, 2014 throughAugust 1, 2014. Enrollment is available through the Kentucky Department of Education’s Division of School and Community Nutrition website.

SUDIA BREAKFAST GRANT REQUIREMENTS: Grant funds are to be applied toward costs of eligible expenses associated with implementing an innovative breakfast serving model. All applicants must submit a complete application that includes a description of requested expenditures, current student enrollment, average daily participation for breakfast and lunch, and milk usage. Incomplete applications will not be considered. District or school personnel may submit an application. A separate application must be submitted for each school that will implement an expansion program; each school is limited to receipt of one grant. All applications must have authorized approval by the Child Nutrition Director, School Principal and the School District Superintendent. Grant recipient schools must also provide daily participation and milk usage data at the end of the 2014-2015School Year. The SUDIA Breakfast Grant submission period is March 1 - July 1, 2014.

Eligible expenditures for grant funding include, but are not limited to:

  • equipment and supplies (e.g. insulated totes, rolling coolers and kiosks)
  • marketing materials (e.g. fliers to send home to parents and posters in the hallways)

Applications will be reviewed in the order they are received, and will be given consideration based on commitment to sustained program delivery. Grants will be awarded until all funds have been allocated. Letters of Agreement must be completed following grant approval and prior to a check being issued to the school by the Southeast United Dairy Industry Association.

Based on student population, schools may apply for grants up to the following amounts:

  • $1,000 – 500 or less students enrolled
  • $1,500 - 501 to 750 students enrolled
  • $2,000 – 751 to 1000 students enrolled
  • $2,500- 1001 or more students enrolled

CHALLENGE GUIDELINES:

The 2014 Kentucky Breakfast Challenge will run from September 1, 2014- September 30, 2014.

Schools will be divided into six (6) categories, based on grade levels (Elementary, Middle, High) and non-provision/provision status.

There are three (3) levels of recognition for schools in each category based on the largest percentage of increase in breakfast participation during the month of September 2014, as compared to breakfast participation during the month of September 2013.

*MVP Visit –A former NFL player will visit the school during breakfast for a “Breakfast Tailgate Party”. Students will have the opportunity to chat with the player while enjoying their school breakfast. Player autographs, prize drawings and other activities will be part of the “Breakfast Tailgate Party”.

Once the new innovative breakfast strategies and serving methods have been implemented, schools are encouraged to send pictures, tweets and success stories to the Kentucky Department of Education and SUDIA.