Sweetwater High School has installed a sustainable, clean source of drinking water for students in a move meant to reduce students’ risk of childhood obesity.
The school, in mentorship with the UC San Diego Center for Community Health and the support of the City of National City, The National City Chamber of Commerce and The Mile of Cars, installed the water source and will cut the red ribbon Tuesday afternoon.
50 percent of the children in National City are overweight or obese, some of the highest in the county. Previous studies have shown that reducing the amount of sugary drinks students drink can help reduce childhood obesity, said Karemi Alvarez with the UCSD Center for Community Health.
Students at the school led an initiative together to bring a sustainable, clean, free drinking water source to the community.
Many schools with low resources may have broken or non-functioning water fountains, Alvarez said, and small changes such as installing a new water fountain can shift attitudes.
Tuesday, National City Mayor Ron Morrison, Sweetwater High School Principal Maribel Gavin in addition to officials from the UCSD Center for Community Health, The Mile of Cars and Sweetwater High School students will come out to the ribbon cutting at 12 p.m.
