SAN CLEMENTE, CA -- (Marketwire) -- 08/16/10 -- Health experts say breakfast is the most important meal of the day and the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB) is putting money where its mouth is by challenging select high school districts across the Golden State to increase breakfast consumption with milk in school. The schools with the greatest breakfast participation with milk in each market will win $3000 towards student activities. In addition, California teens will have an opportunity to win $1000 and a shot at fame for illustrating how breakfast with milk is important for personal and academic well being.

"Educators have been trying to bring this message home to families across California and I am glad that the folks behind the GOT MILK? campaign are doing the same," says Jack O'Connell, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, who supports the breakfast program. "Studies show that skipping breakfast puts young people at an academic disadvantage because they do not have the nourishment necessary to perform well in school."

The Food Research Action Center's (FRAC) Child Nutrition Fact Sheet titled Breakfast for Learning(1) shows "the most important meal of the day" is key to academic success. Students who don't have a nutritious breakfast tend to have shorter attention spans and lower test scores. Nutritionists say a well-balanced breakfast includes protein-rich foods, fresh fruits, whole grains and low fat or nonfat dairy like milk which is high in calcium and vitamins. Starting the day off with a healthy meal, health experts say, also prevents young people from snacking on fatty, high-calorie snacks, which in the long run could curb the growing problem of childhood obesity.

To prevent teens from skipping breakfast, GOT MILK? is challenging high school students at Sacramento Unified, San Jose Unified, Fresno Unified and Palm Springs Unified to increase breakfast participation with milk in school during a three-week period at the beginning of the school year. The schools in each city with the greatest improvement in breakfast participation from last school year will win $3000 towards student activities.

"Young people love a challenge," says Steve James, executive director of the CMPB. "This contest allows them to beat their rival schools, but at the same time bring home the message that a nutritious breakfast with milk is key no matter how busy students become with friends or with extracurricular activities."

Besides the school breakfast competition, GOT MILK? also challenges California teens ages 13 to 18 to participate in its GOT MILK? Breakfast Billboard Photo Contest for an opportunity to win $1000 and a chance for their work to be featured on a billboard for a month in their hometown. From Aug. 16 to Oct. 8, 2010, teens must submit a photo illustrating why breakfast with milk is important for their health and academic performance. They must download an entry/release form, available at www.gotmilk.com, and submit it with their photo entry via the following:

Email: contest@gotmilk.com (limit 8 MB)

Mail:

GOT MILK? Breakfast Billboard Photo Contest
c/o RL Public Relations
11835 W. Olympic Blvd., Suite 1155E
Los Angeles, CA 90064

(1) "Breakfast for Learning." Child Nutrition Fact Sheet. Food Research & Action Center. Web. http://www.frac.org/pdf/breakfastforlearning.PDF.

About the CMPB
The California Milk Processor Board was established in 1993 to make milk more competitive and increase milk consumption in California. Awareness of GOT MILK? is over 90% nationally and it is considered one of the most important and successful campaigns in history. GOT MILK? is a federally registered trademark that has been licensed by the national dairy boards since 1995. The CMPB's Spanish-language campaign began in 1994 using the tagline "Familia, Amor y Leche" (Family, Love and Milk). The TOMA LECHE (Drink Milk) campaign replaced it in 2006, following a growing trend in Hispanic food advertising that uses wit and humor to reach audiences. GOT MILK? gifts and recipes can be viewed at www.gotmilk.com and www.tomaleche.com. The CMPB is funded by all California milk processors and administered by the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

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