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DEH CHO - A selection of exotic fruit juices and some healthy snack recipes helped two schools in the Deh Cho win awards in this year's Drop the Pop NWT Challenge.

Charles Tetcho School from Trout Lake won $1,000 in the zero to 50 student population category while Louie Norwegian School from Jean Marie River was given $500 and an honourable mention in the same category.

The Sambaa K'e Restaurant that students and staff ran in Trout Lake in March helped Charles Tetcho School win a Drop the Pop award. Participants at the restaurant included, from left, back row: Laura Andrighetti, Yvonne Jumbo, Katrina Deneron, Deanna Jumbo, Sheyenne Jumbo, Angel-Rose Betthale and Donovan Punch; front row: Faith Deneron, Aaron Chonkolay, Branden Jumbo and Jada Jumbo - photo courtesy of Elizabeth von Rhedey

Students in Trout Lake were told about their win on April 30.

"They were very excited," said Elizabeth von Rhedey, the school's teacher.

The school's award winning project involved promoting pop alternatives to community members. In order to reach the largest possible number of people the students incorporated the project into their restaurant, said von Rhedey.

On March 13, after two-and-a-half weeks of planning the students ran the Sambaa K'e Restaurant for one night where they prepared and served healthy meals to 43 community members. At the restaurant the students set up a drink station where they promoted pop free options to guests including exotic fruit and vegetable juice mixes, milk and water.

"People got to sample something different to see that it could be a good alternative to pop," von Rhedey said.

The students got right into the task and took it very seriously, she said. Some students took a cart around the room offering samples of the various juices.

"It was a really fun way to approach it," said von Rhedey.

The best juice was the mango pineapple mix, said Sheyenne Jumbo, 11.

"It tastes good," Jumbo said.

Juice is better than pop because it doesn't give you cavities while pop has sugar that can make holes in your teeth, she said.

The money from the award will be used for the school's healthy eating program that teaches the students about good food choices, said von Rhedey.

In Jean Marie River news of their win was also well received at the Louie Norwegian School.

"We really appreciate it," said Terry Davidson, the school's teacher.

The school received honourable mention for their healthy snack program. Approximately twice a week students at the school cook a healthy snack and share it with their classmates.

The program is helping the students realize there's healthy food and they can make it themselves, said Davidson.

"It's not a complicated thing but it was a very special thing for us," he said.

Class favourites have included breakfast burritos, fruit salad and fruit smoothies. The program, which started in September, will continue during the rest of the school year as funding permits, Davidson said.

The Drop the Pop Challenge is designed to raise awareness of how sugary beverages like pop and low-nutrient foods negatively affect health and learning. A total of 38 schools around the territory, including seven in the Deh Cho, participated in the challenge this year. Each school received funding, based on their size, to hold a nutrition related event or program.

The awards recognize collaborative and innovative efforts by schools to promote healthy eating.