Diane Thom, Minister of Health and Social Services, announced the 16 schools chosen to receive awards as part of the 2019-20 Drop the Pop campaign. Forty-five NWT schools participated in the 2019-20 Drop the Pop challenge using funding to promote healthy foods and beverages.
The winning schools will be awarded prizes ranging from $500 – $1,800 in recognition of their activities and creative efforts for the annual awareness campaign.
Thom states that Drop the Pop provides learning opportunities for students about how food choices are important to their health as they grow.
In the Beaufort Delta Education Council:
- Angik School in Paulatuk will receive $1,125,
- Chief Paul Niditchie School in Tsiigehtchic will receive $1,000, and
- Helen Kalvak Elihakvik School in Ulukhaktok will receive $1,250.
In the South Slave District Education Council:
- Chief Sunrise Education Centre in the Hay River Reserve will receive $1,000,
- Deninu School in Fort Resolution will receive $500,
- Paul William Kaesar High School in Fort Smith will receive $1,500, and
- Princess Alexandra School in Hay River will receive $1,875.
In the Deh Cho Divisional Education Council:
- Charles Yohin School in Nahanni Butte will receive $1,500,
- Chief Julian Yendo School in Wrigley will receive $500,
- Deh Gah Elementary and Secondary School in Fort Providence will receive $500
- Echo-Dene School in Fort Liard will receive $500,
- Louie Norwegian School in Jean Marie River will receive $1,000, and
- Territorial School in Kakisa will receive $1,500.
For Yellowknife Catholic Schools:
- Ecole St. Joseph School in Yellowknife will receive $1,450.
For Yellowknife Education District #1:
- Mildred Hall School in Yellowknife will receive $1,500.
In the N’dilo District Education Authority:
- K’alemi Dene School in N’dilo will receive $1,250.
Some of the highlights from this year’s winners are:
- In the South Slave District Education Council region, high school students created a post-apocalyptic scenario in which our water supply was compromised and was the catalyst for the spread of the zombie virus. Students researched and compared possible drinks that would be best for our survival if water wasn’t an option.
- Deh Cho Divisional Education Council students participated in events taught by elders on how to make healthy food from scratch and teachings about the importance of water to maintain their health.
- Students and their families in the Beaufort Delta Education Council were challenged to track how much pop they drank in a month with the goal of drinking no pop.
- Students at the Yellowknife Education District Number 1 formed a partnership with public health nurses and Ecology North to learn about the benefits of drinking tap water.
- Yellowknife Catholic Schools participated in a variety of activities that helped promote healthy drinks, traditional activities and healthy snacks.
- K’alemi Dene School hosted family night which featured healthy food and beverages, and educational games about sugary drinks.
Drop the Pop is an annual campaign supported by the Department of Health and Social Services that encourages students, families, schools and communities to:
- drink healthy beverages, especially water;
- eat a wide variety of healthy, local foods from the land;
- learn new skills and knowledge in order to be more self-sufficient, and;
- foster long-term healthy food and beverage habits so families can maintain and/or improve their overall wellbeing.
This is the 14th year for the Drop the Pop campaign.
