Luverne students Chris Anderson and David Weis (front) stock the vending machines with new soda and milk daily as part of their curriculum in vocational skills.
By Sara Quam
Students in Luverne finally "got milk."
This year vending machines are stocked with 2-percent, chocolate and strawberry milk, thanks to a local initiative to include more healthy beverages alongside sodas. Milk is joined by water and fruit juices in 10 of the 45 possible beverage slots.
The Rock County Wellness Committee and Mark Lundgren from the school had a lot to do with it.
Wellness Committee chairman Paula Anderson said, "It is important for parents to know that the school and the community are working to improve the health of our children."
Last year, state legislators voted down a resolution that would have banned pop sales during school hours. The legislation was backed by dental associations and health advocates but opposed by schools which use the revenue to supplement budgets.
Lundgren thought this was the perfect compromise.
"Coke was very generous to include a dairy product - competition to them - in the machines. We talked to them about the milk, and they don't have a milk product out yet."
Coke agreed to let Land O' Lakes provide the milk.
Lundgren said, "ItÕs an experiment right now, but it's going pretty well."
More products fit in the new Coke machines that are out this year, so there was room for milk and juice.
If either the larger machines or Coke's agreement had fallen through, milk probably wouldn't be available. The school would have had to buy a separate machine just for milk, and they are costly to maintain, so Lundgren doubts it would have worked.
Even though milk is available, Mello Yello is still the biggest seller by far. Diet Mello Yello, which is slightly better for teeth and contains fewer calories, isn't selling as well as the school had first thought.
Soda sales generated about $8,000 for Luverne schools last year, impacting the student activities budget. The funds went to the Student Council and were then funneled to other school groups. Yearbook costs, for example, are kept down thanks to money from the pop machines.