More Allegany County students will start their day off right with a nutritious breakfast thanks to a school-meal program expansion in county schools.

The Maryland Meals for Achievement program is being expanded to Georges Creek, Beall and Cash Valley elementary schools. South Penn, Flintstone and Westernport elementary schools as well as the Allegany County Center for Career and Technical Education already participate in the program.

Under the program, students receive breakfast in their classrooms every day. All students participate, regardless of financial status. In order for a school to be considered for the program, at least 40 percent of the students enrolled must be eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

The Maryland Meals for Achievement is an innovative classroom breakfast project that started in the fall of 1998 in several Maryland elementary schools. Researchers from Harvard University who evaluated the project's impact on academics and behavior found that classroom breakfast has a positive impact on grades.

Researchers also credit classroom breakfast with improving student attendance by about two days per school year, decreasing tardiness and behavior problems, and increasing students' attention spans.

The program, which costs about $2 million a year, is now in more than 130 schools across Maryland.

The school board is to be commended for expanding this innovative and proven program to additional schools. More than just improving school performance, Maryland Meals for Achievement helps ensure that our young people are receiving proper nutrition - that's a strong foundation for a productive school day, and a healthy life.