All schools are encouraged to apply for Drop the Pop funding. The funding can be used to plan classroom or school-wide activities or host locally relevant nutrition-related events and programs that highlight the importance of drinking water and other healthy beverages and eating healthy foods.

Here are ideas from NWT teachers:

• Organize a challenge to “drop the pop” by using resources from BC Sip Smart.
• Trigger curiosity (inquiry-based learning). Encourage students to formulate questions and investigate the effects of sugar-sweetened beverages on health or find creative ways to reduce the consumption of sugar.
• Host a “Drop the Pop” fair to highlight student research on water, healthy beverages and food. This may be held in conjunction to family fun nights at your school (e.g.Ecology North #loveNWT Water Pledge).
• Schedule field trips to water treatment facility.
• Invite Elders into the classroom to tell stories about the importance of water.
• Use a student leadership team approach to organize school-wide nutrition-related activities.
• Host cooking challenge with mystery boxes of unfamiliar but healthy ingredients.
• Create TV game show on food and healthy eating and present to the school.
• Partner with another community organization such as the recreation center, health center or grocery store to find ways to market healthy beverages and food.

Deadline for applications is November 10, 2017.