Breakfast is the most important meal of the day for many reasons. It’s one of the keys to good nutrition, of course. And from an academic perspective, eating breakfast has positive implications for student behavior, academic achievement and the school learning environment.

Students who eat breakfast reach higher levels of achievement in reading and math, have stronger powers of concentration, are more alert and retain more of what they learn. Eating breakfast can reduce absenteeism, tardiness, behavior problems and visits to the nurse’s office.

National Breakfast Week is celebrated this year from March 7 to 11. To honor the occasion, Joliet Job Corps Center Food Services Manager Janice Crayton launched a pilot program in two classrooms. A Culinary Arts student delivered breakfast to the students in those areas, giving them a chance to eat at the beginning of the school day or during the morning break.

The students were able to choose from apples, Cheerios Breakfast Bars, Pop Tarts, milk and juice.

“I want the students to come for breakfast as often as they can to start the day right, even if it is cereal and a piece of fruit,” Ms. Crayton said.