Healthier Drink Options Coming to High Schools in North Chicago Suburbs

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Studies find Latino kids drink more sugary drinks a day than their White peers. With all the time kids spend at school, changes in the school beverage environment might help kids make better beverage choices. In a suburb North of Chicago, Illinois, faculty and students are coming together to make healthier beverages stand out in 2 area high schools

Glenbrook High School District 225, commonly known as the Glenbrooks, offers a public education to approximately 4,700 students in Glenview, Northbrook and portions of unincorporated Northfield Township. Located just 20 miles north of Chicago, Glenbrook North and Glenbrook South High Schools are working to reduce unhealthy drinks, like diet and sugared sodas, and increase the selection of healthier beverages, like water, milk and juices with reduced sugar.

Each school has a food committee where students have brainstormed what a healthy beverage environment would look like at their school. Choice is important, said district Superintendent Dr. Michael Riggle, so the kids are looking at ways to increase healthier drinks but not remove drinks with sugar altogether.

The students also want to add an educational component, perhaps by labeling drinks according to their sugar levels or creating a poster that shows how much sugar is in each drink. They have also talked about making water cheaper.

When school is back in session, the food committees will meet once more and make the final changes to drink selection at the two high schools.

The 2014-2015 school year promises to be a year full of healthier drinks and informed choices for the students at the Glenbrooks.

Read more about reducing sugary drinks at the two high schools in the news.