The Fall River Soda-free Summer Pledge Campaign traveled to the 21st Century Summer Program at the Greene Elementary School to ask over 150 children there to pledge to reduce or eliminate soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages over the rest of the summer. Sugar has no nutritional value and is a food that should be consumed only occasionally. Sugars from soda and other foods are also a major contributor to tooth decay. School Wellness coordinator Marcia Picard engaged the group in a discussion in which she pointed out that a two-liter bottle of soda contains 54 teaspoons of sugar. "Would you drink that much sugar if it was just dissolved in water?" she asked. The children were also quick to point out that tooth decay is often related to drinking sugary beverages. Parents of the children were asked to take home a pledge form  and an information sheet that they can read and post at home to remind them not to drink soda over the summer. Click here to see the video of the presentation. Click here for photos of a similar presentation at Camp Welch. For more information, contact School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard st 774-526-7149.

(Top row) Paul Moniz invites the children indoors for lunch and the chance to hear School Wellness Coordinator  Marcia Picard from Partners for a Healthier Community give a presentation on the Soda-free Summer Pledge Campaign to over 150 children who attend the 21st Century summer program at the Greene Elementary School. (Middle row) Ms. Picard challenges the students to answer some questions about what they drink in the summer and to guess how much sugar is in a two-liter bottle of soda. (Bottom row) Ms. Picard urges the students to think about giving up soda for the summer before introducing Eric, dressed as Mr. Tooth, who reminds the students that sugar-sweetened beverage and other foods containing sugar are not good for their teeth and that they should brush after every meal.