IQALUIT - Students at Ataguttaaluk Elementary School in Iglulik spent a week learning about healthy food choices during the Drop the Pop campaign from March 8 to 12.

Grade 3 students at Ataguttaaluk Elementary School in Iglulik pose in front of the Nunavut Food Guide on April 13. Back row from left: Terrpatt Qaunaq, Arsene Arnatsiaq, Ika Irngaut. Front row from left: Paul Uttak, Joseph Ammarualik, Louie Kripanik, Jackie Arnatsiaq, Todd Robert Qummangat, Lydia Arnatsiaq, Roxanne Immaroitok, Tianna Ammaq, Lita-Amelia Uttak. - photo courtesy Shontell MacInnis

Promoted through health departments in Nunavut, the Yukon and the Northwest Territories, the program aims to raise awareness about unhealthy sugary drinks.

Grade 7 students, along with teacher Shontell MacInnis, organized and ran the program for Ataguttaaluk Elementary School for the week. MacInnis said students started putting the program into practice right away.

“Instead of coming to school with pop, they started coming with 100 per cent fruit juice,” she said. “They themselves started making the choice to eat and drink healthier.”

Grade 7 student James Iyerak said he learned soft drinks are detrimental to people’s health.

“It makes us fat and unhealthy,” he said.

This year’s program focused on healthy bones and calcium, which the students demonstrated by making posters and through other research projects.

The department of health and social services also gave schools coupons to redeem at local stores for healthy snacks, such as fruit and the yogurt-based beverage, Yop. The department also provided $2,000 to purchase healthy food during the program, MacInnis said.

Students determined budgets and organized shopping lists before shopping at the Northern Store for the food, which they brought back to the school and distributed.

Iyerak said the shopping trips were his favourite part of the week.

“I liked going shopping at the Northern,” he said.

Grade 7 student Dennis Ammaq said going shopping together helped build teamwork among his classmates.

“We worked together when we were going shopping and passing out the Yop to everybody in the school,” he said.

Ammaq said he learned drinking too much pop is bad for teeth.

“It gives you cavities,” he said.

Students also learned how to make grilled cheese sandwiches and collected nutrition labels from food packages at home to compare nutrition content, MacInnis said.

“They worked with their families and gathered up labels and we went over the vitamins and minerals and compared the nutritional content of different foods,” she said.

On top of learning about nutrition, MacInnis said running the program throughout the week also taught students responsibility.

“Managing the Drop the Pop program in our school helped them learn to manage their own time and energy,” she said. “They had so much enthusiasm and so much energy, they displayed a lot of teamwork and a lot of personal leadership skills.”

Ataguttaaluk Elementary School also won a $500 gift certificate during a draw among the schools in Nunavut that participated in the program.

The money will be used to purchase more Yop for students and staff at the school, MacInnis said.