Each Wednesday morning, between 400 and 500 Centre Wellington District High School (CWDHS) students start off on the path to learning with a hot breakfast and a sense of community.
The Wake Up Wellington breakfast program at the Fergus secondary school is one of many such programs across the county that provide students with a nutritional head start.
The Children’s Foundation of Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph, through its Food and Friends program, is a major sponsor of the CWDHS student nutrition effort and also supports nearly 70 student nutrition programs at schools across the region, including about 30 in Wellington County.
Each school program has its own unique elements and support systems, tailored to the needs and resources of their school community.
The importance of a morning meal for students can’t be underestimated, said Chef Nicole DeBeyer, who coordinates Wake Up Wellington as well as daily breakfast and lunch programs at the school.
“Studies have shown that kids who have a nutritious breakfast go farther and do better at school,” she said.
That’s understandable DeBeyer noted, as students can’t be expected to perform as well “if they can’t concentrate because they are too hungry to even think about sitting in a classroom for 75 minutes.”
According to DeBeyer, there are many reasons why students come to school hungry – and financial need is only one of them.
For one thing, she notes, “lots of teenagers don’t normally eat first thing in the morning.”
In a farming community like Wellington County, she adds, “they may be doing chores and have to run to catch the bus. They don’t necessarily have the opportunity to eat.”
CWDHS nutrition programs are open to everyone, said DeBeyer. That way, “Students who really need our services don’t feel out of place.”
At Centre Wellington, approximately 60 to 70 students participate in daily breakfast and lunch programs. Breakfast regularly includes items like fresh fruit, cereal and bagels. Lunches generally consist of soup and sandwiches and often include special treats like stuffed potatoes.
Each Wednesday, the Wake Up Wellington breakfast is the main event, with hundreds of students enjoying a buffet style breakfast in DeBeyer’s classroom/kitchen. There’s always a hot dish, as well as fruit, yogurt, cereal, bagels and other dishes.
Students line up down the halls leading to the buffet for the popular event, DeBeyer said.
Wake Up Wellington began in 2010, a year after DeBeyer joined Chef Chris Jess in running the school’s culinary arts and hospitality program.
Recognizing a need, DeBeyer connected with Food and Friends, which was offering a basic program of dry goods such as cereal bars to students needing breakfast, and worked with them to expand the program.
In addition to assisting in obtaining grants to buy food, Food and Friends helps by providing food handling courses for volunteers and assists the school with paperwork and reporting requirements.
The CWDHS program features a natural tie-in with the school’s hospitality program.
“My students prepare everything, whether it be cutting up buns or making bread … they do it all and they do a good job,” DeBeyer proudly declared.
The students also take a great deal of pride in their contributions, she explained.
“There’s a lot of ‘did you try this?’ or ‘what did you think of my soup today?’”
DeBeyer said the experience of working on the school lunch and breakfast programs is “perfect for our students.” The programs expose them to everything from customer relations to large quantity food preparation, as well as to food safety and other elements of meal preparation.
“We try to focus on healthy eating as well. We talk about making healthy food choices,” said DeBeyer. “Unfortunately, in our society, it’s cheaper to have food that’s not healthy. That’s why we always have lots of fresh fruit.”
Wake Up Wellington and the daily nutrition programs at CWDHS are a major undertaking – and an expensive one.
“Last year we spent $14,500 on food,” to serve roughly 16,000 meals, says DeBeyer. “That’s about a bit less than a dollar a day for a kid to eat a nutritious meal.”
The program receives support from a number of areas, including in the past year a $1,000 grant from the Ministry of Child and Youth Services and donations of $2,500 from Sensational Elora and $1,000 from Walmart.
Volunteers also contribute to the program. DeBeyer said they have one community volunteer who helps with set up and serving for the main Wednesday breakfast. There is also a crew of eight student volunteers who regularly help with set up and serving.
“We’re very appreciative of the support that we have. I think the kids really appreciate it,” said DeBeyer, who noted the need for volunteers and donations has been magnified by this year’s expansion of the program to include daily lunch offerings.
“Because we’re expanding our program, we’re looking for more sponsors and volunteers,” explained DeBeyer, adding she hopes efforts to raise the profile of the program will pay off in increased interest in both areas.
“I don’t know if all the parents know we have this program, or if they know their kids are participating.”
Anyone interested in sponsoring or volunteering with the CWDHS nutrition program is encouraged to contact DeBeyer at ext. 546 or Nicole.debeyer@ugdsb.on.ca.
Donations to breakfast/nutrition programs at CWDHS and other schools in the county may also be made by contacting local schools or through the Food and Friends website at www.livefreewdg.ca/donate.
