MOJAVE CAMPUSES SEEKING FUNDING FOR BREAKFAST PROGRAMS.

Byline: Karen Maeshiro Daily News Staff Writer

Saying children would learn better if they have a nutritious breakfast, the Mojave Unified School District wants to extend its school breakfast program to three more schools.

The district is applying for more than $14,000 in state grants to offer breakfast at Mojave High School, California City Middle School and Robert P. Ulrich Elementary School.

``We think all children would do better if they got their tummies filled in the morning,'' said Susan Strahan, director of special projects. ``The socioeconomic level at our schools has dropped some. We want to make sure kids have breakfast and are better able to learn.''

The board of trustees will consider the grant application at today's meeting at 7 p.m. at Joshua School, 3200 Pat Ave. If the district receives the funding, the program will start next school year.

The district's other schools, Mojave Elementary School, Joshua School and Red Rock Elementary School, already have breakfast programs. Menus typically include fruit juice, a carbohydrate like French toast sticks and a protein like sausage.

Students are not eating breakfast at home for a variety of reasons, according to the application. Some students must get up early in the morning for 30-minute bus rides to school and don't have time to eat.

In other instances, many parents leave before dawn to commute to the Los Angeles area and do not have time to prepare breakfast for their children. Some students are dropped off at school as early as 6:30 a.m. by their parents before their long commute. Other families can't afford to provide a morning meal.

Mojave High School has an enrollment of 591 students, of which 31 percent are eligible for free or reduced lunch prices, records show. The families of 144 students receive welfare benefits.

At California City Middle School, 47 percent of the 442 students are eligible for free or reduced lunches. Forty-eight students and their families receive welfare benefits.

At Robert P. Ulrich School, 53 percent of the 821 students are eligible for free or reduced lunches. The families of 204 students are on welfare.

The money would help pay for two milk coolers, a freezer, tables and benches, three orange ``wedgers'' to cut fruit, a toaster and electrical service for installation of a freezer.

Funds also would go toward fees and travel costs of consultants, who will train staffers in preparing breakfast foods, publications that would provide ideas for better programs, classroom materials to encourage students to eat nutritious breakfasts, and menus and fliers sent home in English and Spanish to all families promoting the breakfast program.