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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, March 31, 2016 | 26 Oakville teen knows the importance of breakfast by Nathan Howes Special to the Beaver Breakfast is an important meal for high school students and no one understands that better than Oakville's Liam Rondeau. That's because the former T.A. Blakelock High School student volunteered at the Rebecca Street school's breakfast club for three years, providing food to hundreds every morning. Now attending McMaster University, the 18-year-old is working with Kellogg Canada as a spokesperson for its #FeedingBetterDays program, part of the global Breakfasts for Better Days initiative, which has provided more than 1.4 billion servings of cereal and snacks to children and families in need since 2013. Kellogg has partnered with the Breakfast Club of Canada and donated $100,000 to fund new high school breakfast clubs, support existing groups and help youths across the country reach their full potential. Rondeau has been making media appearances to discuss student nutrition and the importance of eating breakfast. Partners with Kellogg Canada "I've partnered with Kellogg Canada to raise awareness of the issue in high schools, to see how it's directly impacting students' academic success. We both share a common interest of ensuring no student goes to school hungry," said Rondeau. It really opened my eyes to see how many students are affected by hunger. It was fantastic to see the difference we made every morning by providing a stigma-free environment to everyone It's a universally-accessible program. Liam Rondeau Oakville Oakville's Liam Rondeau knows the importance of breakfast -- and that has paid off for him in more ways than one. | submitted photo maJor eSPORTS the amily one! F Kellogg contacted the McMaster student after learning of Rondeau's involvement with the breakfast club through the Oakville Beaver . "I was very excited to hear that I would be working with Kellogg to make sure that all students are going to school with food in their bellies," said Rondeau. The Breakfast for Better Days survey polled Canadian high school students and found 32 per cent have been distracted by hunger during an exam. About 79 per cent said they're tired or have less energy, are less focused or feel nauseous when they don't eat breakfast. Connecting breakfast and academic success "Recognizing the connection between missing breakfast and academic success in high school, we are committed to shining a spotlight on this important issue and helping students achieve their full potential inside the classroom and out," said Lores Tomé, Kellogg Canada director of corporate communications. Rondeau said it will be "really interesting" to see how far donations from Kellogg and other groups will go in helping students across Canada. "I hope all schools in Halton, and beyond, will grow their programs and new programs will pop up to ensure that everyone goes to school healthy and happy," he said. One of the statistics that "really hit home" for the 18-year-old was the Toronto District School Board's survey that found high school students who ate breakfast are almost 20 per cent more likely to graduate than those who skip it. "When I don't eat breakfast, I'm more stressed tournaments and anxious," he said. "It is the most important meal of the day." The Oakville teen was chosen as a representative because he demonstrated a "real passion and commitment" to fighting hunger, helping to set his fellow students up for success, Tomé said. "Liam really is an inspiration and a wonderful example of everything our Kellogg's Breakfasts for Better Days philanthropic initiative stands for," said Tomé, noting Rondeau was the first-ever student breakfast club co-ordinator in Halton. In 2015, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Elizabeth Dowdeswell presented Rondeau with the Ontario Medal for Young Volunteers for his work at T.A. Blakelock. Even though he's attending university in Hamilton, the Oakville youth regularly visits his former high school to lend a hand with the club. "I usually go every couple of weeks just to say hi and have fun. I've been there pretty often," said Rondeau. "Katherine (Bailey, student program coordinator) and Arbuckle are having so much fun and they're both doing such a great job," he said. With assistance from parents and funding from Halton Food For Thought (HFFT), T.A. Blakelock's breakfast club was launched in 2009. Alongside program co-ordinator Heather Arbuckle and other volunteers, Rondeau served bagels, fruit, yogurt, cereal, juice and water and other items every morning, Monday-Friday. He noted it now serves 25 per cent of the school population -- more than 200 students -- daily, a significant increase from its first two years of operation when it was feeding about 80. Cool to see how it's helping "It's pretty cool to see how we're helping and how far Halton Food For Thought, the Breakfast Club of Canada and the donation from Kellogg really go to ensure no student goes to school hungry," said Rondeau, who volunteered from Grades 10-12. Rondeau is currently enrolled in a four-year life sciences program at McMaster and is hoping to attend medical school after he graduates. While he isn't planning for a food-related career, he is open to the idea because of the difference that T.A. Blakelock's breakfast club makes in ensuring "no student goes hungry," Rondeau said. "It really opened my eyes to see how many students are affected by hunger. It was fantastic to see the difference we made every morning by providing a stigma-free environment to everyone. 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