Its likely your eyes may have caught a new detail while walking through the school’s cafeteria this year, something known as the “Daybreak Cafe”; the school’s newest attempt to generate interest in the school’s new lunch program and get students to indulge in healthy and nutritious breakfasts to maintain focus and energy throughout the day. For just $1.00, students may purchase an array of breakfasts items such as: bagels, croissants, muffins, cereals, egg and cheese, bacon egg and cheese, or ham egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches before school and in study halls until 10am. “Eating breakfast has been shown to increase student alertness in class and improve test scores,” according to Maria Hall, a registered dietitian and Walpole’s director of school nutrition. “I felt that it would be a wonderful addition to the school,” says Hall.

Participation in the new breakfast area has been inconsistent so far, as would be expected with any new idea. Kids mainly are unaware of the area. Raising interest in the Daybreak Cafe is the best bet so far. Hall adds that the food department is “hoping to generate even more interest with the addition of signage and publicity,” so the Cafe is still in its earliest stages. Other schools have attempted a School Breakfast Program similar to this, but Hall has never seen it implemented in the way that we have. A survey will be given out within the next few months to gather feedback and figure out ways to raise interest in the area, from students themselves.

The logo for the “Daybreak Cafe” was implemented by the Design class last year, specifically seniors. The class had to come up with a marketing project and decided to team up with Hall in making the breakfast area appear noticeable and welcoming. Seniors even came back to the school after graduation to finish up the painting and make the breakfast area look its best. The metal tables and chairs that can also be seen in the Cafe were used with the grant money awarded for use by the School Breakfast Program.If the Breakfast Cafe were to be unsuccessful, there are currently no alternatives to enforce students to continue eating breakfast. Although, a fruit and yogurt smoothie option will be offered in the lunchroom in the near future. The Daybreak Cafe is just one of the many alterations to the food program of this school year.