STEVENS POINT, Wis. — Students and staff at select Wisconsin schools will have a healthy new addition to their campus for the 2023-2024 school year. The Delta Dental of Wisconsin (DDWI) Foundation’s Cool Water Program recently granted water bottle filling stations to 31 schools across the state. This year marks the fifth year of the program, which has impacted 138 schools and over 53,000 Wisconsin students since inception.

Each Cool Water Program grant covers the installation cost of a new filling station, along with toothbrushes and reusable water bottles for all students and staff. Selection for awardees was based on the schools having fluoridated water, percentage of students with free-and-reduced meal rates, and the sustainability and creativity of an implementation plan to encourage students to drink more water throughout the year.

According to the American Dental Association, drinking water, especially fluoridated water, helps reduce cavities and protects precious tooth enamel by washing away harmful bacteria. Children who drink water during the day are less likely to consume sugary beverages and miss school1 due to oral health issues. Additionally, reducing sugar intake can decrease the occurrence of painful cavities and help reduce obesity.

“Supporting education is not just about funding schools, it’s about empowering the next generation to make healthy choices,” said Shaun Luehring, president and CEO of LUMIN Schools and 2022 Cool Water Program grant recipient. “The gift of a water bottle filling station makes good choices easy. We would not have been able to secure this on our own and are extremely grateful for the support. Our students love filling up their water bottles, so mission accomplished.”

The selected schools for 2023-2024 include:

Alma High School, Alma Anna F. Doerfler School, Milwaukee Benton Elementary School, Benton Blessed Sacrament Catholic School, Milwaukee Brown Street Academy, Milwaukee Cambria/Friesland Elementary School, Cambria Coloma Elementary School, Coloma Cornell Elementary, Cornell Forest Lane Community School, Montello Glenwood City High School, Glenwood City Goodman-Armstrong Creek School District, Goodman Grant Elementary, Wisconsin Rapids Lake Holcombe School, Holcombe Lombardi Middle School, Green Bay Madinah Academy of Madison, Madison Mary Queen of Saints Catholic Academy, West Allis Mellen School District, Mellen Northwest Catholic School, Milwaukee Oconto Falls High School, Oconto Falls Our Lady Queen of Peace School, Milwaukee Prince of Peace School, Milwaukee Red Apple Elementary, Racine Rib Lake Elementary, Rib Lake Rib Lake Middle School, Rib LakeRib Lake High School, Rib LakeShining Star Christian Schools, Milwaukee St. Rafael the Archangel, Milwaukee St. Roman Parish School, Milwaukee Thorp Catholic School, Thorp Washington Elementary, Stevens Point Winter School District, Winter

“The statewide impact of the Cool Water Program the past five years has been inspiring, but there is more work to be done,” said Megan Tenpas, community impact manager for the DDWI Foundation. “Our goal is to have a school in each county represented by the 2025-2026 school year.”

For more information on the Cool Water Program or the Foundation, visit deltadentalwi.com/foundation.

Delta Dental of Wisconsin is headquartered in Stevens Point, with a sales office in Milwaukee. As part of the nationwide Delta Dental Plans Association, DDWI joins 38 other Delta Dental plans to serve more than 83 million Americans with dental insurance.