Hours before the sun rises, Creative Arts High School student Kauthar Sumayyah Calvente eats a light meal and prays to start her daily fast in observance of Ramadan, abstaining from breakfast and lunch at school in keeping with her faith.

Calvente, 17, a junior, is among about 15 Muslim students at Creative Arts who are balancing their academics with their religious practices during the holy month.

"It's a pillar of Islam to fast," said Calvente.

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from dawn to dusk daily, pray five times daily and do extra nightly prayers ,and observe other religious practices. After sunset, they have a meal known as "Iftar," typically a community-focused gathering with family and friends.

The Camden school district has made an extra effort this year to help students in their observance by offering them a nutritiously balanced carryout breakfast and lunch to take home daily during the holiday and eat after sunset or before sunrise. Previously, students were required to eat the meals on-site and not allowed to eat them outside of school.

"We want to make sure our kids are getting the food they need whether they're in school or not," said Food Services Director Arlethia Brown.

For the first time this year, the New Jersey Department of Agriculture has allowed school districts to obtain waivers for the National School Lunch Program to provide the meals in a non-congregate setting to students who are fasting during typical meal service time. Camden and 29 other districts, including Atlantic City and Trenton in South Jersey, were given the waivers.

"It allows New Jersey students to consume breakfast and lunch at a time that honors their religious principles," said Rose Chamberlain, director of the agriculture department's division of food and nutrition.

The last time schools were allowed to distribute take-home food to students who qualify for free or reduced-cost meals was during the pandemic, when children learned remotely.

Camden began offering the to-go meals when Ramadan began Feb. 28, Brown said. Students must register for the meals, and the response was slow at first, but picked up as word spread, she said.

"I think it's super sweet," said sophomore Meilyn Mercado, 15, who is observing her first Ramadan this year. "It's nice that they thought of us. It is a blessing."

The program is available to students enrolled in the city's traditional public schools as well as Camden Prep and Mastery Schools, both Renaissance schools and Urban Promise, a private school. All of the district's students qualify for free meals.

Camden has several active mosques, but it is unclear how many district students observe Ramadan. The district also provides space where students can have midday prayers.

The meals are prepared every morning in the cafeteria at the sprawling Camden High complex, which houses Creative Arts and three other high schools. From there, the meals are delivered to schools around the city and distributed to students.

On a recent morning, Jordan Johnson, a food service worker, packed the meals for the day: a turkey bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit for breakfast the following day, a turkey and cheese sandwich, black beans and corn, strawberries and grapes, and chocolate and white milk. The items are put in an insulated bag with an ice pack and instructions on storing or reheating if needed.

"Every school district should be doing this," said Brown. "We know that there is a need. We know that it works."

For the first week, Brown and executive chef Tyler Brown (no relation) put together a simple to-go menu that would not require cooking for the students. They served waffles, muffins, bananas, salad with chicken or tuna and wraps. The meals must meet federal USDA guidelines and include five components: meat, vegetables, fruit, bread or grain, and milk.

The goal is to provide food that the students like and will eat, said Arlethia Brown. The menu is "culturally relevant" to reflect the district's diverse enrollment, she said.

The meals are distributed at the end of the school day. After a mix-up at Creative Arts, a handful of students reported to the main office to pick up their food. Family and operations coordinator Fatimah Shakir, who is also Muslim, wanted to make sure the students were able to get the meals.

"As-salamu alaykum (peace be upon you)," Shakir greeted them in Arabic one afternoon last week. They responded, "Wa alaykum as-salam (and peace be upon you)."

"It looks very good," said Yasir Shambry, 17, a junior, peering into a bag that included a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a muffin, celery, apples, oranges, a cheese stick and two cartons of milk.

Said Calvente, who began fasting during the holiday when she was about eight years old: "It's a great idea. I do appreciate it."

Mercado said she planned to stay after school for rehearsal for a production of "Islamic Snow White," a version of the classic fairy tale with Islamic themes and culture, and would break the fast that evening with other students. Her drama teacher, Desi P. Shelton, who is also Muslim, brings food for the students, she said.

Shakir, who attended the Camden schools as a child, said she was pleased to see Ramadan more fully recognized by the district. Growing up, she said, she always felt like "the little Muslim kid" during Christmas observations. All students get a day off school March 31 to mark Eid-al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan.

"This is your faith. This is what you practice," she said.

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