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D70 to offer
healthier selection of beverages
By GAYLE PEREZ
THE PUEBLO CHIEFTAIN
When District 70
students and staff return to class in
August, they'll find healthier choices in
their beverage vending machines.
The school board on
Tuesday night decided to allow district
officials to purchase beverage vending
machines and stock them with healthier
drinks.
The change came about
after district officials began investigating
possibilities for bringing healthier choices
to students as part of an overall district
health and wellness program.
As the district's
contract with Pepsi expired in June,
officials
decided to look into
the possibility of purchasing vending
machines and stocking them themselves.
The move will not only
allow for healthier products to be sold but
it also is expected to generate additional
revenue for the district, according to Greg
Keasling, director of student services.
Keasling said under
the previous beverage contract, the district
paid $17 to $19 a case for beverages. Based
on how much was sold, the district would
reap a percentage of those sales.
Keasling said with the
district operating the machines, it will be
able to purchase the products at a lower
price and all the revenue will stay in the
district.
The district's
foundation department will continue to
receive 10 percent of the proceeds it had
received with the contract from Pepsi.
'The end result is
there will be more profit for everyone to
use," he said.
The district plans to
purchase 23 vending machines by this fall
and eventually plans to add four more.
The machines will be
purchased through the food service budget
but it will be reimbursed for the cost
through sales. Keasling said all machines,
which will cost $3,300 each, should be paid
off in two years.
Keasling said the
machines will be placed in each of the high
schools, the middle schools, the Vineland
and Pueblo West bus garages and the
administration building.
The elementary schools
will no longer have vending machines;
however, Keasling said students and staff
can still purchase bottled water in the
cafeteria.
The machines will be
stocked with juices, flavored waters,
flavored drinks, Gatorade, Powerade and
teas.
Keasling said students
from the Transitional Assistance Program
will maintain at least 13 of the vending
machines. The others will be maintained by
district personnel.
The TAPS provides
special education high school students with
job skills and independent living skills.
Keasling said the
student will be responsible for picking up
the products from the vendors and then
delivering and stocking them in the
machines.
At the high schools,
various student clubs such as Distributive
Education Clubs of America or Future
Business Leaders of America will maintain
the machines.
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