"Six Nations Pupils Ask 'What's for Breakfast?'"

OHSWEKEN - There's something strange going on at Six Nations School No. 5.

Pupils have started to appear at the elementary school before teachers, eagerly waiting for doors to be unlocked.

It's not math or history that has won the favor of 72 youngsters from Grades 1 to 6, it's breakfast.

For about four weeks, they have been welcomed by the smell of fresh-baked muffins, sausages or French toast.

Wanda Montour, president of the home and school committee for No. 5, is head chef of the breakfast project.

She cooked up the idea after consulting with the public health department in Ohsweken about ways to make sure kids were having all their nutritional needs met and being taught proper eating habits.

"There are a lot of kids who go to school with no breakfast, and a lot of them don't bring lunch. Or they come to school on the bus and they eat their lunch on the way," said Ms. Montour.

"I don't know why the situation exists, but we thought we could help."

Arnold Thomas, a Grade 6 teacher and principal at the school, has witnessed the change in his students.

"The kids seem a lot happier for a longer time," he said, sneaking an oatmeal muffin from the breakfast room, which doubles as the staff room when the morning rush has cleared.

"We've really noticed the difference."

Dorothy Russell, nursing supervisor at the Ohsweken medical centre, emphasized the importance of breakfast for young children.

"They should be encouraged to eat some breakfast in the morning because it does ward off that tendency to fall asleep, and it improves their learning.

She said many local health professionals are concerned about the eating habits of younger generation. They estimate that almost one-third of the reserve's elementary school children are overweight.

Ms. Montour, whose daughters attend Grade 3 and Grade 5 at the school, hopes to keep the program going at least until the school year ends in June. Her two concerns are energy and money.

There are 27 volunteers who arrive once every two weeks to help with the cooking. Ms. Montour knows that can be tough to arrange. She ended up spending Mother's Day in the kitchen baking muffins for the next day's breakfast.

But it's worthwhile, she said.

Ms. Montour estimates that the food costs only $80 a week, since many of the volunteer chefs purchase their own supplies and some of the food is donated.

Many working parents who can't help out have supported the program through donations. Funds also have been raised through school activities and donations from other community members.

All of the children are invited to have breakfast. Ms. Montour said they serve between 50 and 75 per cent of the students, who have enough time to eat before morning classes start.

The volunteers are experimenting with new, healthy breakfast recipes, such as yogurt fruit shakes with skim milk. Ms. Montour said there have been no complaints from the kids.

"The most common question I'm asked is, 'What's for breakfast tomorrow?'"