Breakfast Club organisers receive youth volunteer award

June 29th, 2011
[by Sophie Harrison]

After successfully implementing healthy eating at Motueka High School for two and a half years, seven Breakfast Club volunteers have been presented with the Nelson Tasman Youth Volunteer Special Group award.

Arriving at school at 8am every weekday, Mackenzie Lightwood, Anika Stephenson, Rebecca Adams, Joni Tomsett, Josh Muldoon, Jonty Comins and Sophie Harrison toast, butter, spread and serve a hearty breakfast to hungry high school students before morning classes.

The initiative started under the guidance of Ali Comins, and Carole Fowler encourages and educates Year 9 - 13 pupils on the importance of feeding your brain before school to achieve maximum results in your work.

With over 100 pupils gathering around the school tuckshop daily to receive toast, Milo and cereal, the Breakfast Club helpers are often rushed off their feet trying to accommodate the growing demand. After much practice these "experienced toast-spreaders" have mastered the art of speed through their production line systems, even managing not to butter one another in the process.

Parents and members of the community who oversee and assist at breakfast each morning enable the operation to continue. Along with these volunteers, donations of spreads, bread and cereal are greatly sought after to allow costs to be kept to a minimum.

Although not so obliging at home with cleaning dishes or making breakfast, the teenagers enjoy doing something productive before school and having a laugh (whether that be splashing soap suds at one another or ending up with crumbs and three different kinds of spread on their school jumpers at the end of the morning!).

"I can never get him to do the dishes at home, but here ... it is not a problem," say Ali Comins, Jonty's mum.

(The Motueka High School Breakfast Club would greatly appreciate the donations of breakfast items to assist in the running of the club. Ali Comins can be contacted through the school office.)

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