HARRISBURG, Pa. - Thousands of teachers in Pennsylvania are ringing the alarm bell because they feel too many kids are just too hungry to learn. In the Keystone State, only about 40 percent of kids eligible for low- or no-cost meals at school eat breakfast there. Now, a new report finds two-thirds of teachers across the U.S. say they have children in their classrooms that are not getting enough to eat at home. The study comes from the anti-hunger group Share Our Strength, and says the problem is more acute in urban and rural areas.
School nurse Ann O'Hara sees it all the time.
"On Fridays, before a weekend, some of the teachers are trying to slip some extra packets of cereal or whatnot into the kids' backpacks to go home with."
In the study, 98 percent of the teachers said there is a strong connection between eating a healthy breakfast and a student's ability to concentrate, behave, and perform academically.
O'Hara says that when she sees these problems at her school she asks a question.
"The first question I ask is, did you have breakfast? And frequently the answer is no."
Share Our Strength has developed the No Kid Hungry campaign to combat childhood hunger and hopes stronger breakfast programs in schools can improve performance.
The report says 61 percent of teachers who perceive a problem purchase food for their classrooms out of their own pockets, on an average of 25 dollars each month. Share Our Strength says more than a half-million dollars in grants will be used to promote alternative breakfast models for kids, such as breakfast in the classroom, grab-'n'-go breakfast, and second-chance breakfast, which provides food after the first period.
School nurse Ann O'Hara sees it all the time.
"On Fridays, before a weekend, some of the teachers are trying to slip some extra packets of cereal or whatnot into the kids' backpacks to go home with."
In the study, 98 percent of the teachers said there is a strong connection between eating a healthy breakfast and a student's ability to concentrate, behave, and perform academically.
O'Hara says that when she sees these problems at her school she asks a question.
"The first question I ask is, did you have breakfast? And frequently the answer is no."
Share Our Strength has developed the No Kid Hungry campaign to combat childhood hunger and hopes stronger breakfast programs in schools can improve performance.
The report says 61 percent of teachers who perceive a problem purchase food for their classrooms out of their own pockets, on an average of 25 dollars each month. Share Our Strength says more than a half-million dollars in grants will be used to promote alternative breakfast models for kids, such as breakfast in the classroom, grab-'n'-go breakfast, and second-chance breakfast, which provides food after the first period.
Check out The Chester City Blog's survey results on this same subject
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