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$10,000 grant will support breakfast after the bell
$10,000 grant will support popular “Breakfast After the Bell” program
Thanks to a $10,000 grant, Gaston County Schools will be able to continue its efforts to make healthy meals more accessible for students.
The grant was presented on Tuesday, November 19 during a pep rally-style program at Robinson Elementary School. It is sponsored by the “Fuel Up to Play 60” program in partnership with The Dairy Alliance and Carolina Panthers.
The funds will be used to expand the school district’s “”Breakfast After the Bell” service that was started last year at four schools: Ashbrook, Hunter Huss, Chapel Grove, and North Belmont. This year, the breakfast program expanded to 13 schools. It acts as a second-chance program for students to eat breakfast.
Click here for an article about our “Breakfast After the Bell” program.
Tuesday’s assembly was more than just a check presentation. It was an interactive pep rally that featured games, a dance contest, an obstacle course, trivia questions about dairy products, and more. On hand for the event were Graham Gano, kicker for the Carolina Panthers, and cornerback James Bradberry as well as several Top Cats cheerleaders and mascot “Sir Purr.”
After the “Fuel Up” pep rally, which was held for students in grades 2-5, Gano and Bradberry toured the school to visit the kindergarten and first grade building, where the students showed off their Panther paws and cheered for the professional athletes. Some even got to ask a few questions.
Angela Calamia, director of school nutrition for Gaston County Schools, said, “We are very grateful for the resources from ‘Fuel Up to Play 60’ and our North Carolina dairy farmers. We also appreciate their efforts to emphasize exercise and physical activity for students and the importance of healthy food choices in our schools.”
Calamia added, “We just began our ‘Breakfast After the Bell’ program last school year, and we are already seeing great success. The $10,000 grant from the Dairy Alliance and partnering organizations will make it possible for us to expand the program. For students to learn and thrive in the classroom, they cannot be hungry so we are doing everything we can to provide healthy breakfast and lunch meals for them.”