Colonial Elementary School honored for being a Governor's Breakfast Champion

Colonial Elementary School (CES) has been named one of Pennsylvania’s top 10 champions of school breakfast, and was honored Sept. 18 during an event held at the Governor’s Residence in Harrisburg.

To be selected as a Governor’s Breakfast Champion, school districts were challenged to increase student participation in the universal free breakfast program by using promotional strategies, identifying service methods that allowed for greater student access to breakfast, and incorporating hot breakfast items and foods that were locally sourced and lower in sugar.  The top 10 schools across the state that had the highest increase in breakfast participation during this challenge period (January through March 2024). 

Colonial Elementary School’s breakfast participation rate increased by about 25 percent between those three months. Two key elements to the school’s success have been Principal Dr. Rose Rock, who has improved access and overcome time constraints by allowing students to take breakfast to their classrooms, and Head Cook Christine Troutman, who encourages student participation through prize giveaways and positive interactions with students. 

Of course the food has something to do with it, too. Students enjoy the options available to them in the morning, with items like breakfast sandwiches, whole grain cinnamon rolls, and fresh fruit smoothies being the most popular. 

The free breakfast program is also regularly promoted to families through the website, email blasts, printed publications, and social media posts that remind parents and students about the offerings, what students must select in order for their breakfast to be considered a meal, and the hours during which breakfast is available. Last year, Colonial School District served over 204,000 breakfast meals to students and is on track to serve more this year. 

Only 37 schools in the state finished the challenge, and the top 10 were invited to be recognized in Harrisburg. Lori McCoy, Director of Food and Nutrition Services; Dr. Michael Christian, Superintendent; Dr. Rose Rock, Principal of Colonial Elementary School; and Christine Troutman, Head Cook at Colonial Elementary School, all attended the event, which included a breakfast tasting, roundtable discussions, and remarks from state officials. 

“I am excited to network with other Breakfast Champions from across the state to share ideas and discover new ways to further boost breakfast participation, as breakfast is critical in helping students perform their best both physically and academically throughout the school day,” said Mrs. McCoy.

As a reminder, school breakfast is served at all schools and is free for students when they select a combination of at least three items (grains, juice, fruit) and one of the items must be a fruit or juice. Breakfast is available from 8:50 to 9 a.m. in elementary school cafeterias, from 7:40 to 8 a.m. at the middle school, and from 7 to 7:30 a.m. at the high school.