Posted by Mary Wimberley on 2006-04-05

The Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at Samford University's Cumberland School of Law pitched in to see that some Birmingham school students had a healthy breakfast before taking standardized tests this week.

The law students collected and delivered 17 large boxes of nutritious breakfast food items to Glen Iris Elementary School earlier this week. The boxes contained such items as applesauce, fruit juice, instant oatmeal, low-sugar cold cereal, fresh fruit, bagels, cream cheese and milk.

"Studies show that children perform better on standardized tests when they have eaten a healthy breakfast," said BLSA member LaTonia Williams, who chaired the "Eat Well, Test Well" project.

The goal, said Williams, was to provide breakfast for grades three, four and five on their three testing days, April 4-6.

The law students solicited the food items and cash from Cumberland students and faculty.

Williams, a second-year law student, is a familiar face to many at Glen Iris. She is a classroom parent at the school, where her daughter, Amaiya, is enrolled.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 5,791 students from 49 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.