Surge in serving breakfast at Potomac View Elem. prompts Va. First Lady to visit Oct. 4

A surge in school breakfasts served in Prince William County Public Schools puts the School Division on track to meet Virginia’s Breakfast Challenge, an initiative championed by Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe.

The First Lady will be at Potomac View Elementary School in Woodbridge on Oct. 4 to highlight PWCS’ success and kick off a state campaign to draw attention to the importance of school breakfast programs.

The Breakfast Challenge is sponsored by the Virginia No Kid Hungry campaign and several nonprofit and state partners.

PWCS has seen the number of breakfasts served daily in local schools to increase to more than 20,000 in the last two years. “We expect to see a 10 percent increase this year,” added Serena Suthers, director of School Food and Nutrition Services.

Suthers credits the increase in breakfasts served to a “grab and go” model which allows students to take breakfast to their classrooms.

“This improves access and reduces the perception that breakfast is only for students on free or reduced meals programs,” Suthers says. “Kids can buy breakfast or get them through the meals programs and no one knows the difference; that means they can get the good nutrition they need to learn.”

Schools that achieve the greatest increases in breakfast participation will be eligible for prizes to support school nutrition programs, teacher engagement, and infrastructure improvements.