Governor Gordon, First Lady Jennie Gordon, Superintendent Jillian Balow, Johnson Junior High School Principal Brian Cox, and the teams of Governor Gordon and Johnson Junior High School officially kicked off Wyoming School Breakfast Week (March 2-6, 2020) this morning at Johnson Junior High School. The staff and "lunch ladies" at Johnson Junior High School are committed partners in the fight against food insecurity and believe strongly in universal breakfast for the student body. Improved moods, outlook, and reduced absenteeism are among the positive outcomes that school breakfast brings to the school. As one staff member stated, "all it takes for someone to understand what a difference it's making is to visit our school in the morning and see for themselves."
Johnson Junior High School used to serve under 200 breakfasts per day before adopting a grant-funded universal breakfast program. Now, an average of 425 breakfasts are served a day; this morning, 190 of those breakfasts were delivered after the bell. This ensures that students don't miss this important meal and can focus on school instead of an empty stomach.
School Breakfast Week offers an annual opportunity to promote and highlight the success of school breakfast programs in communities and schools. As a early adopter and strong believer in the power of breakfast, Johnson Junior High was the perfect location for Governor Gordon to announce Wyoming's first-ever School Breakfast Week.
Johnson Junior High School Principal Brian Cox is a staunch supporter of ensuring his students receive breakfast. He regularly delivers breakfast after the bell to classrooms throughout the school and knows that meal makes a huge difference to Johnson High School students. His passion for leveling the playing field for low-income students is contagious; improved nutrition is just one of the tools he employs to achieve this outcome at Johnson, but it's an essential one.
A big thank you to all the staff and students who made the kickoff to School Breakfast Week in Wyoming so memorable!
School Breakfast Week Proclamation
March 2, 2020 • Johnson Junior High School, Cheyenne, Wyoming
WHEREAS, the School Breakfast Program has served our nation admirably since it was permanently established in 1975; and
WHEREAS, the School Breakfast Program is dedicated to the health and well-being of our nation’s children; andÂ
WHEREAS, the School Breakfast Program joins and has been joined through the years by many other excellent child nutrition programs; andÂ
WHEREAS, research shows that school-age children who experience hunger have higher levels of absenteeism, nurse’s visits, and have more challenges than children receiving a well-balanced diet; andÂ
WHEREAS, frequent studies have shown that meals provided at school not only contribute to the nutritional needs of students, but also significantly increase and enhance their ability to learn; andÂ
WHEREAS, as parents, teachers, and school food personnel, we are endowed with the responsibility of providing the children of our communities and state with their basic resources needed to grow, learn, discover their own potential, and live happy fulfilling lives; andÂ
WHEREAS, Breakfast After the Bell programs, which make breakfast part of the school day, are desirable and effective ways of ensuring more students realize the benefits of breakfast.Â
WHEREAS, offering breakfast as part of the school day improves children’s diets, builds healthy, lifelong eating habits and allows students to begin their days focused and ready to learn.Â
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT I, MARK GORDON, Governor of Wyoming, do hereby proclaim March 2-6, 2020, as
SCHOOL BREAKFAST WEEK
in Wyoming. I encourage all citizens to recognize the efforts made by schools, their food service directors, and cafeteria staff to ensure the health, safety, and success of our children. Â
IN OFFICIAL RECOGNITION WHEREOF, I hereby affix my signature this 2nd day of March, 2020. Â
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