The Kidney Foundation of Manitoba initiated a Drop the Pop program for elementary schools across the province, and Portage's North Memorial School was selected and received a grant. Principal Michelle Laidlaw explains the program.

(L-R) Michelle Laidlaw (principal) Alison Strome (grade 1/2 teacher)"The program's called Drop the Pop. What they've done is they've given us a grant and we've used that money to talk to our kids about the ills of pop and how it affects our bodies, and the amount of sugar that's in some of the things that we're drinking. And really it's to help give them that information and give them some rewards for making better choices."

Grade 1/2 teacher Alison Strome says the school then ran a contest between classrooms.

"We got $250 for the week. The class that Dropped the Pop the most this week got to make healthy smoothies today. And the whole school is going to do it as well. Next week we're going to continue on, and every class is going to get a turn to make smoothies."

Strome notes what they did the with the money.

"We got to choose what we wanted to use it for, and we decided to buy a lot of fresh fruit and vegetables. So, we have fresh fruit that the kids have been trading in on unhealthier choices at lunchtime. And then we provided milk during snack time this week as well. Then we bought a blender and smoothie making ingredients."

Winning class students making smoothies