Nashua High School North:

An Alternative Route to Breakfast

DEVIN WILLIAMSON
INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY PROJECT
KSC DIETETIC INTERN
 The Project

Research breakfast methods

Compose a breakfast proposal for administrative
staff
Write parent and teacher letters endorsing the
program
Create a grab-n-go menu
Write a grant for a breakfast kiosk
Create an evaluation survey
 Breakfast Participation Data

12% of NHS North students participate in school breakfast

One out of four students eligible for
free and reduced meals participates in
school breakfast

19%
Free and
Reduced
Full Price
81%
 The Importance of Breakfast

Students that are hungry are more likely to:

Repeat a grade
Have lower math scores
Be absent or tardy
Experience behavioral and emotional problems

Children who eat school breakfast:

Had improvements in attendance, behavior, and standardized
test scores
Showed improved concentration, alertness, memory, and
learning
American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO. "Breakfast Blueprint." 2017,
https://www.aft.org/breakfast-blueprint?page=1
 NHS North Breakfast Models

Methods:
1.) Traditional Cafeteria Breakfast
2.) Grab-n-go breakfast

Issues:
Scheduling
Arriving too late to eat in the cafeteria
Students would rather socialize
Stigma
Eating breakfast in the cafeteria can be associated with poverty
Current Grab-n-go Model
Cash Only
No kiosk
Selling up to 10 breakfasts
 Grab-n-go Improvement Methods

1.) Allow access to school meal accounts

2.) Obtain buy-in from staff and parents
3.) Make station appealing to students
4.) Obtain feedback after the fall semester
 Method #1: Allow Access to School Meal
Accounts

Obtain a wireless POS

Attempted for an I Pad
PCS software only works on windows
Decided on laptop
Consulted with Technology:
Verification to receive laptop

Determine hallway placement

 Method #2: Obtain Buy-in

Proposal for administrative staff

Letter to inform and encourage teachers and parents
Custodial staff will also need to be on board
 Results: Obtain Buy-in

Parent and Teacher

Letters
Breakfast Proposal for
Administrative Staff
Description of various
breakfast models
Tips for implementation
Success stories
 Method #3:
Make Station Appealing to Students

Create a daily offer versus serve menu

Brainstorm weekly specials
Obtain a kiosk
 Results: Daily Menu & Weekly Specials

Guidelines:
Students must select C serving of
fruit but must be offered 1 cup
Students must select 3 items

Menu:
Choice of Milk (1 C)

Fresh Fruit (1/2 C)

Muffin (2 grain items)

Granola Bar (1 grain item)

Cheese stick (1 meat alternative or

grain)
Smoothie (1/2 C fruit/juice and 1
C milk)
Graham Crackers (1 grain)
 Obtain a Kiosk

Camcruiser Vending Cart ($3,394.69)

Features:
Full size counter top wells

Rear compartments

Cutting board

Umbrella

Cash box and tray

Removable menu board

Kiosk to feature a student designed banner

 Action for Healthy Kids Grant

Description:
Provides funding for equipment and implementation needs for
an alternative breakfast program
$2,100 per school

Tasks:
Determine outcomes, timeline,

and evaluation
Every Kid Healthy Week

Recipe cards for EKH Week

 Method#4: Obtain feedback

Students and teachers will be encouraged to take a survey in

December for project evaluation Grab-n-Go Kiosk Staff Survey

Surveys created on surveymonkey.com 1. How often do students bring grab-n-go breakfast into your classroom?

Never Frequently

Grab-n-Go Kiosk Student Survey Sometimes Every day

Occasionally

2. Have you noticed any issues with grab-n-go breakfast?

1. How often do you get breakfast from the grab-n-go kiosk?
Yes
Never
No
Every few weeks
Please specify (optional):
Once a week

A few times a week

Every day 3. Where have you seen the most issues with grab-n-go breakfast?

Hallway
2. Where do you most commonly get breakfast?
Classroom
Grab-n-go kiosk
I have not seen any issues
Cafeteria

Home
4. How has student behavior been impacted by grab-n-go breakfast?
I rarely eat breakfast
Students behavior has changed for the better

Student behavior has changed for the worse

3. How pleased or displeased are you with the food offered in the kiosk?
No noticeable difference
Extremely displeased
Please specify (optional):
Moderately displeased

Slightly displeased

Neither pleased nor displeased 5. How has student performance been impacted by grab-n-go breakfast?
Slightly pleased Student performance has changed for the better

Moderately pleased Student performance has changed for the worse

Extremely pleased No noticeable difference

Please specify (optional):

1
 Future Recommendations

Reaching out to administrative staff

Continued grant applications for kiosk
Most suggestions can be implemented without the
kiosk:
Wireless POS
Student-designed banner
Surveys
Daily menu and weekly specials
 Thank you,
Nashua School District!