Bompas class eyes healthier drink options
Bompas rebrands water as 'Mackenzie Juice' to encourage healthy living
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, March 31, 2016
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
Water bottles with the slogan "Drink Mackenzie Juice" emblazoned on them are popping up around Fort Simpson to promote drinking water as a healthier alternative to sugar-rich fruit juices and pops.
Brooklyn Cazon-Martineau displays her new water bottle, which she received following the Health Attack assembly at Bompas Elementary School on March 24. - April Hudson/NNSL photos
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The idea of calling it Mackenzie Juice came from Val Gendron, who collaborated with Bompas Elementary School's Grade 6 students to throw a health fair on March 24.
Gendron said the idea of Mackenzie Juice worked on her own children when they were young and wanted sugary drinks. Bringing the concept to Bompas worked neatly with the curriculum the Grade 6 students were already learning, she said.
"Every year, we do Drop the Pop," Gendron said, referring to annual health fairs that take place across the Deh Cho.
"Basically, we're teaching healthy bodies and exercise. It all ties into Drop the Pop."
This year, she decided to call the fair Health Attack to get students more excited about the event.
The fair began with schoolwide dancing in the Bompas gymnasium. From there, Grade 6 students took the stage to deliver PowerPoint presentations on topics ranging from the importance of exercise to the difference between healthy and unhealthy snacks.
"I think the kids had fun," Gendron said.
Olivia Gaule and Ava Erasmus created a presentation on the amount of sugar in everyday drinks which Gaule presented to the school during the fair.
That presentation included statistics on sugar levels in juice. In Kool-Aid, there are 24 grams of sugar and 200 calories, while a glass of Sunny D has 27 grams of sugar and 90 calories.
She also showed the school how to convert grams to teaspoons - four grams of sugar per teaspoon - and how to read the nutritional labels on food and drinks.
"The message is, there's more sugar (in drinks) than you think," Gaule said.
Gendron said aside from teaching leadership skills and healthy habits, the fair also contributed to students' language skills.
"It's difficult to get up and speak in front of a group of your peers," she said.
Young people were involved every step of the way, from picking out the water bottles and logo to choosing what music they danced to during the fair.
