It doesn’t pay to miss breakfast, especially not for students at Yass High School.     

The school’s breakfast club has been drawing accolades and a growing crowd since it was formed three years ago.     

Club coordinator, teacher Jennifer Rajchert said up to 150 students regularly turned up each Monday, Wednesday and Friday to wolf down toasted cheese sandwiches, hot milo, cereal or fruit.     

She said the key to the club’s success was its policy of welcoming everyone.     

The open-door approach was in part a reflection of the rural population the school of 410 served, she said.     

“We have kids who have to travel an hour and a half to school so by the time they get here they are pretty hungry,” Ms Rajchert said.     

With many of the school’s farming families facing tough times because of the drought, Ms Rajchert said it was also important that no one felt singled out.     

“In general people don’t like asking for handouts,” she said. “If you invite everyone no one feels like the finger is pointing at them.”     

Besides keeping hunger at bay, the breakfast club plays a practical role in school morale.     

Ms Rajchert said when the club first opened the school tracked its impact on attendance and found there was a 5-10 per cent drop in lateness on club days.     

She said an effective breakfast club relied on a good team of volunteer workers and the support of local businesses.     

Among the 20-strong volunteers at Yass High, Ms Rajchert singled out 15-year-old Anthony Gallagher for his enthusiasm and mentorship of younger students.     

When Yass High and its breakfast club recently walked away from the Energy Australia Red Cross Youth Challenge Awards with three prizes, Anthony helped add to the school’s tally by receiving the 2008 Peer Award.     

Anthony said his involvement was simply about wanting to help.     

He is now involved in helping the neighbouring public school establish its own breakfast club and the Yass High team has produced a DVD for schools on how to operate a brekkie club. The volunteering has also opened up some new career horizons for Anthony.     

“Before I joined the breakfast club I wanted to be a builder, but now catering is an option as well.”