MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Coffee and kids doesn't sound like the best combination, but one high school is using it to encourage students to eat breakfast.
According to the district wellness coordinator A’Keti Mayweather, Baldwin High School started two coffee bars with a $125,000 United States Department of Agriculture Healthy Meals Incentive grant.
It's two ounces of coffee and eight ounces of low-fat milk. Akayla Jones is a senior and said it gives her a little more energy for the day.
“I've been getting it every day,” Jones said. “Like every time I come in here after I got off the bus, it's the first thing I get every morning because this coffee is really good, and I love coffee.”
Mayweather said breakfast participation at the school went from 600 students to over 800 students because of the coffee bar.
“There's only two ounces of coffee in the actual coffee that we serve the students,” Mayweather said. “It’s more to have their milk components met. And so, it's mostly milk in the coffee. And so, when we combine that milk with the coffee and then they get their grain and also their fruit, it makes it a reimbursable meal.”
Mayweather said this fuels students' minds and bodies, which helps with their focus and hopefully their grades. Madeline Clark is a senior and said it’s a nice option to have.
"I don't usually eat at home because I don't wake up in time but it allows us to get something to eat," Clark said.
Students can enjoy the coffee and breakfast bar until the first-class bell rings, unless they run out early due to high demand.
“I think it's a good motivation to be able to do more in class, stay awake even if you didn't have a good night before," Clark said.
The Healthy Meal Incentive grant money also helped hire two part-time employees who operate the breakfast bar every morning.