Forget the old rusty water fountains, Coachella Valley High School unveiled a new way for students to stay hydrated.
In a collaboration with Brita, the leading maker of water filtration products, Coachella Valley High School has now installed two new hydration stations. The hope is that it will produce a flow of clean drinking water and save hundreds of thousands of plastic bottles from making their way to landfills.
Another side benefit could be the health of the students. The Coachella Valley High School administration is working hard to ensure that its students choose water over sugary drinks. Many, especially those who live in unincorporated areas lack access to clean drinking water.
“We really are telling the kids, you need to drink water and not the sodas,” principal Victor Uribe said.
Students line up to use a new Brita hydration station at Coachella Valley High School on Thursday. The hydration stations allow students to access to clean free drinking water. (Photo: Lauren Reyes/The Desert Sun)
“There is always a line (at the water fountain) even after the bell rings” Uribe said.
Coachella councilwoman Betty Sanchez, who graduated from CVHS was also at the unveiling.
“It’s just very exciting, I mean they are getting the best of the best right here,” Sanchez said. “This is progress in the making.”
Coachella Valley High School students test out a new Brita hydration station on Thursday. This is the first Brita hydration station on the Coachella Valley High School campus. (Photo: Lauren Reyes/The Desert Sun)
Sanchez believes that it is essential that children and young adults develop healthy habits to ensure that they stay strong and focused.
“We have to encourage our youth, start them young to drink water and see the value in drinking water,” she said. “We need to take care of our health in general, there is a big cost to being unhealthy.”
More water stations are scheduled to be installed at the school in the future through the ongoing collaboration between the Regional Access Project Foundation and Mission: Readiness. Both organizations advocate for projects that invest in the youth.
