61 Michigan Schools to Receive New Drinking Fountains Thanks to $200K Program from Delta Dental Foundation and MESSA
OKEMOS, Mich. (PRWEB) February 21, 2018 -- Sixty-one schools across Michigan will soon receive new water fountains/bottle filling stations, thanks to $200,000 in funding from the Delta Dental Foundation (DDF) and MESSA. In all, 95 water fountains/bottle filling stations will be installed.
The schools are winners of MESSA and DDF’s “Rethink Your Drink: Water’s Cool at School program,” designed to encourage children to drink more water during the school day. (The list of winners follows this press release.)
“Drinking water throughout the school day is key to staying focused and energized,” said Teri Battaglieri, Delta Dental Foundation director. “Not only are sugar-sweetened beverages like pop and juice drinks bad for your teeth, they can contribute to other health issues such as obesity and Type 2 diabetes. We want more students to have access to drinking water during the day so they can keep their teeth and bodies strong and healthy.”
MESSA Executive Director Ross Wilson said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with the Delta Dental Foundation on this important program. MESSA is committed to supporting education employees as they look to improve their own health while modeling good examples for their students.”
Winning schools will have old drinking fountains replaced with Elkay water fountain/bottle filling stations by Oak Park-based Balfrey & Johnston. The winners will also receive reusable water bottles for students and staff.
More than 600 schools applied for the program, and winners were selected based on several criteria, including age and condition of their current drinking fountains, creativity of their applications, percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced lunch, and geographic location.
The Water’s Cool at School program was piloted at Okemos Public Montessori at Central in September 2016. Within the first month, students increased their water consumption and saved more than 2,200 empty water bottles from going into a landfill.
About Delta Dental Foundation: The Delta Dental Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization established in 1980, which serves as the philanthropic arm of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and North Carolina. The Foundation is dedicated to improving the oral health of the public and to advancing dental science through education and research. For more information, visit http://www.deltadentalmi.com.
About MESSA: MESSA is a not-for-profit membership association that provides health and ancillary benefit plans to teachers, education support professionals, school administrators and higher education employees throughout Michigan. MESSA places a strong emphasis on member education, wellness and preventive care to reduce the cost of health care while supporting its members’ good health. More information at messa.org.
2018 “Rethink Your Drink” winners:
• Alcona Elementary, Middle and High Schools, Lincoln
• Arborwood Elementary Campus, Monroe
• Athens High School, Troy
• Atlantis High School, Flint
• Attwood Elementary School, Lansing
• Bangor High School, Bangor
• Beech Elementary School, Redford Township
• Blesch Intermediate School, Menominee
• Bridgeport High School, Bridgeport Township
• Bullock Creek Elementary School, Midland
• Carrollton High School, Saginaw
• Chatterton Middle School, Warren
• Chippewa Valley High School, Clinton Township
• Detroit Cristo Rey High School, Detroit
• Dudley STEM Elementary School, Battle Creek
• Eau Claire High School, Eau Claire
• Escuela Avancemos Academy, Detroit
• Ford Early Learning Center, Ypsilanti
• Gier Elementary School, Hillsdale
• Harrison Middle School, Harrison
• Hatherly Educational Center, Warren
• Holden Elementary School, Warren
• Inland Lakes Elementary School, Indian River
• International Academy at Hull, Benton Harbor
• Ionia Middle School, Ionia
• Johannesburg-Lewiston High School, Johannesburg
• Kolb Elementary School, Bay City
• Lake Shore High School, Saint Clair Shores
• Lincoln Elementary School, Zeeland
• Lockwood Elementary School, Eaton Rapids
• Luther L. Wright School, Ironwood
• Mesick Jr./Sr. High School, Mesick
• Montrose Hill-McCloy High School, Montrose
• Moon School, Muskegon
• Morrish Elementary School, Swartz Creek
• Mt. Morris Middle School, Mt. Morris
• Muskegon Middle School, Muskegon
• North Elementary School, Birch Run
• Northwest Elementary School, Howell
• Novi Meadows Fifth Grade, Novi
• Orchard View Middle School, Muskegon
• Ottawa Elementary School, Buchanan
• Owen Elementary School, Pontiac
• Pierce Middle School, Redford Township
• Pinconning Central Elementary School, Pinconning
• Pittsfield Elementary School, Ann Arbor
• Pittsford Area Schools, Pittsford
• Reese Elementary School, Reese
• Ross Beatty Jr./Sr. High School, Cassopolis
• Schwarzkoff Elementary School, Sterling Heights
• Shawmut Hills School, Grand Rapids
• South Bendle Elementary School, Burton
• Southwest Community Campus, Grand Rapids
• Surline Middle School, West Branch
• Sycamore Elementary School, Delhi Township
• Union City High School, Union City
• Walker-Winter Elementary School, Westland
• Warren Woods Middle School, Warren
• Webb Elementary School, Hazel Park
• West Bloomfield High School, West Bloomfield Township
• Woodward School for Technology and Research, Kalamazoo
Lisa Ermak, Delta Dental of Michigan, http://deltadentalmi.com, +1 (517) 896-1041, [email protected]
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