Chances are when you hear the name of global giant "Coca-Cola" you don't think "school water fountain." But students in nine of our Redwood City School District schools will soon have new access to cool, clean, fresh water thanks to a $50,000 Active Lifestyle grant from The Coca-Cola Foundation. The check for the grant was presented by Coca-Cola representatives Lauren Ruiz and Tim Albrecht at the February 13, 2013 school board meeting. RCEF Board President Erika Pretell and Executive Director Jo-Ann Sockolov were there to accept the check, along with Trustee Shelly Masur and Superintendent Jan Christensen. 

This grant will help fund the Water First for Thirst program, an important component of our district's PE Plus initiative. Many studies show that students have less risk of obesity when they have easy access to water at school and are educated to drink water first when they are thirsty. 

Additionally, new water stations mean all of our schools will be in compliance with recently passed state and federal laws which require free, fresh water to be served at schools wherever meals are served or eaten.

The first water systems, Brita hydration stations, will be delivering fresh water in the cafeterias of MIT and Orion by the spring. The district is waiting for results from a UCSF study, due out in June, on providing access to water at school before finalizing plans for the seven remaining schools: Adelante, Fair Oaks, Garfield, Hawes, Henry Ford, John Gill, and Taft. The choices are to install new fountains and/or employ design and education options to encourage children to use existing fountains.  

We are excited to be able to make this simple, but important addition to our schools, and we are so grateful to The Coca-Cola Foundation for making it happen.

 Learn more about the Water First grant and The Coca-Cola Foundation.