By Sonia Isaacs
TEN-year-old school captain Ethan Maguire has turned a single classroom moment into a project transforming mornings at Mooloolah State School.
When his teacher, Mr Gilmore, asked who had eaten breakfast, “some of the kids didn’t put their hand up,” Ethan recalled. “So I made it my mission to try and help them get their breakfast.”
Ethan took the problem home and began planning with his mum. “We started trying to brainstorm ideas of how we could fix it, and we came up with the breakfast program,” he explained.
Ethan said he began by “writing down notes and typing up stuff that we’d need for it,” then he and his mum Teena researched other breakfast programs and looked for support.
There were some initial setbacks along the way including a delay in securing a chaplain to help run the program. When Chappy, Alex, started at the school in October, everything fell into place.
Now the club runs two days a week, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, from 8:15 to 8:40am, offering students a free, nutritious start to the day. Local businesses have rallied around Ethan’s idea.
“We get our stuff donated from the local Mooloolah Bakery, and they give us different stuff every time,” Ethan said.
“Woolies at Beerwah give us a free box of fruit every week”, while Gateway Caloundra provides bread. The Mooloolah Lions Club has donated over $1,000.The response has been overwhelming, Ethan said.
For him, the reward is simple: “I like helping people in general… It feels good when you help other people.”
Principal Scott Thompson praised Ethan’s leadership, noting that he identified a need in the school community and took action without prompting.
Ethan presented his idea to the P&C and gathered support from community members and the Lions Club.
“What makes Ethan’s contribution particularly impressive is that he began this initiative as a Year 5 student, before taking on an official leadership role,” Mr Thompson said.
“Now as school captain, he has seen the project through and is making a real difference.”
Andrew Powell, MP for Glass House, added: “I’m proud to support Ethan’s Breakfast Club with a Local Heroes Grant.”
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and ensuring our students start with a full stomach helps them focus, learn and thrive in the classroom.”