Two years after instituting universal breakfasts in Andalusia Elementary School, school officials are still encouraging students to eat breakfast.

Shan Burkhardt, director of child nutrition for Andalusia City Schools, said, “This week is National School Breakfast Week, and we are promoting both eating breakfast and eating a healthy breakfast.”

At AES and AJHS, students are served breakfast in the classroom every morning. The program began at AES in April of 2014, and was implemented at AJHS when it opened in January of 2015.

“Research has shown that students are more likely to do better in school, and that they won’t eat as much in the rest of day if they have breakfast,” Burkhardt said.

More students take advantage of school breakfast programs when they are served in the classroom, she said.

“In the classroom, there is no stigma on it, whereas before, often just kids on free and reduced lunches would go,” she said. “By sending it to the classroom, it has upped the participation.”

The breakfast includes fruit and milk every day, but other items vary.

“Today we had yogurt, whole grain cinnamon grits, juice and milk,” she said, adding that whole-grain cini minis are students’ favorite breakfast.