School News: GOV. RITTER LAUNCHES SCHOOL BREAKFAST CHALLENGE

Students at Landmark academy at reunion celebrate first annual latin culture week

Landmark Academy at Reunion , a tuition-free public charter school, recently hosted their First Annual Latin Culture Week, a week focused on educating students on the various aspects of Latin culture, from music and art to sports and celebrities, through unique activities. During the week-long celebration, students were able to step into the lives of the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans with Latin culture lessons through piñata making, cultural crafts, songs, traditional foods and more. Students made maracas and learned a traditional Mexican Hat Dance; created Aztec suns working with metal tooling; and studied different countries in Mexico , Central America and South America . Aztec dancers from the Colorado Folk Arts Council also visited with students and educated them on the spiritual and traditional aspects of Aztec culture through dance. “We reside in a community with strong Latin and Hispanic roots,” said Matt Carlton, principal of Landmark Academy at Reunion . “Our community culture is important to us at Landmark. By providing unique ways for our students to learn the various backgrounds of our diverse community they are able to understand and appreciate different cultures.” For more information about Landmark Academy at Reunion , please visit www.landmarkacademy.org.

July 29, 2010

GOV. RITTER LAUNCHES SCHOOL BREAKFAST CHALLENGE

Gov. Ritter announced the kick-off today of the School Breakfast Challenge, a new initiative to increase the number of students who participate in a free and reduced-price breakfast program in schools. Gov. Ritter launched the competition at the annual meeting of the Colorado Association of School Executives in Breckenridge.

“We want more children to take advantage of the school breakfast program so they can start the day with a nutritious meal, which will help them perform better in class,” Gov. Ritter said. “This is about reducing childhood hunger and giving our youngest citizens the best chance to succeed.”

The School Breakfast Challenge is a key component of the Colorado Campaign to End Childhood Hunger, an ambitious initiative launched in November 2009 by Gov. Ritter, Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien and partner nonprofits Hunger Free Colorado and Share Our Strength. The goal of the contest is to increase participation by 15,000 students statewide this fall in the program, which provides free and reduced-price breakfast in school cafeterias or in the classroom.

Studies show that students who eat a nutritious breakfast perform better on tests and show improved ability to concentrate and learn in the classroom.

This week, cereal boxes filled with outreach and education materials were given to all attendees at the school executive conference, and more boxes will be sent soon to all school principals and nutrition directors. Hunger Free Colorado will deploy staff and educators to schools to help them tailor a program best suited to their students and to overcome any barriers to the program. This fall, the three schools with the highest percentage increase in participation will receive cash prizes, along with separate cash prizes for the nutrition directors.

More information about the School Breakfast Challenge and the Colorado Campaign to End Childhood Hunger can be found at www.hungerfreecolorado.org/breakfast.