Students will have to make new choices when it comes to selecting a beverage with lunch at Clarkston High School next year.
The school will be removing all carbonated beverages from the cafeteria’s vending machines and soda fountains starting July 1 for the 2004-2005 school year and replacing them with more water, juice and sports drinks.
The move does not affect vending machines located outside of the cafeteria.
‘Our goal is to offer better nutrition,? Janet Allen, Food Service Supervisor for Clarkston Community Schools, said.
All pop products will be replaced with Coca-Cola-produced Minute Maid juices, Dasani water and Powerade. Clarkston will officially end its ‘pop? agreement with Coke on June 30. The new beverages will be available after that date as part of the agreement.
Clarkston is the first school district in Oakland County to make such a switch, according to Allen.
The removal comes from a growing concern over rising obesity rates with American children, a problem some believe results from heavy pop consumption.
On average, teens consume 15-20 teaspoons of sugar a day from drinking pop. For every additional serving of pop a teen consumes, the risk of becoming obese increases 50 percent.
Allen was approached by Clarkston’s PTA Council, a group that works with school PTAs, to combat the soon-to-be epidemic for tomorrow’s adults.
‘Obesity is a huge health crisis, so we need to ask ourselves, ‘What are we going to do?? Clarkston needs to do something,? Joyce Nienhuis, PTA Council vice president, said. Nienhuis also heads up the council’s Nutrition Initiative, the group working with Allen on the switch.
The district is working with Coca-Cola, who supplies all beverage products to the district, to make the switch. Coca-Cola is encouraging school districts to be able to make the switch as part of their ‘Power to Choose? slogan to allow for healthier choices.
‘It’s really twofold: Coke is willing to support the work,? Allen said.
Eliminating pop products from the cafeteria vending machines and lunch line is technically a ‘hit? for Coke’s revenues both for the company and the district, according to Allen.
Concession stands will continue to sell carbonated beverages at any extracurricular activity and in vending machines not located inside the cafeteria to make up for the loss in revenue.
‘The Clarkston district stands to lose money, but they think it’s worth it,? Nienhuis said. ‘As a parent, I’m proud of that.?
The district makes about $50,000 in pop sales a year.
Even though pop products will be removed from the cafeteria area, it is not banned from the school itself. Students may still consume the sugary beverage during lunch, but it must either come from home or purchased before school starts.
School officials are still unsure if vending machines throughout the rest of the building will be affected.
It is still unknown if the custom-made Clarkston vending machines found in the cafeteria will have to be replaced to accommodate the change.
The new beverage selections of juice and Powerade are considered to be healthier than regular pop.
‘Powerade has half the calories and sugars of Coke,? Allen said. ‘Juice is considered healthy.?
According to Allen during a recent Nutrition Initiative meeting, sports drinks contain 50 calories a serving, whereas pop traditionally contains at least 120.
While students have not been informed of the change so far, both Allen and Niehnhuis do not expect any problems to arise from the removal.
‘Water is already the number one seller. I don’t think we’ll see a big change,? Allen said. ‘Sixty percent of students already drink water. Kids are making the right choices already.?
For some CHS students, the change appears to not be a large concern.
‘It doesn’t make any sense. I’ve got it at home,? Samantha Arrowsmith, CHS student, said of the ability to bring in pop from home.
Cafeteria employee and CHS parent Theresa Horn told her senior son of next year’s change. While he wasn’t thrilled with the idea, his female friends liked the idea.
‘We’re trying to minimalize the amount of unhealthy choices during the school day,? Nienhuis said. ‘Our goal is to put better choices in front of kids.?
Allen and the PTA Council’s Nutrition Initiative members have been working on the idea for the past year. Allen was looking for more ways to get involved with parents and the choices their students are given each day in school.
‘I’m very excited about it, I think it’s the right choice,? Allen said.
So far the agreement only applies to CHS. Both Sashabaw and Clarkston Middle Schools have vending machines in their cafeterias, but are on timers during school hours and only turn on after school.
CHS freshman Megan Pambid was unaware of the cafeteria change for next year, but did not seem overly concerned about the switch.
‘I already drink a lot of juice. It depends on my lunch. If I bring something from home, I have juice or water. If I get the school lunch, I get pop,? Pambid said. ‘A lot of my times my table will go and get the same thing, whether it’s chicken sandwiches or juice.?