Moapa Valley Progress
The sophomore class of the ‘Jobs for American Graduates’ (JAG) program is small at Moapa Valley High School. In fact, there are only three students in the career preparation and life skills class. But despite their small numbers, the students are determined to make a big difference to the school.
The small class has been working on a big project since October. Back then, the students looked around the school for a problem to solve or a need to fulfill. They finally got the idea to put water bottle filling stations in the school hallways for students.
Currently the school only has one refrigerated water fountain located in the front foyer of the school. So the JAG students decided that was the need that they could address.
The first step for the students was to create a presentation to persuade the school’s Dean, who is in charge of building maintenance issues, that their proposal was a good idea.
They did research into the benefits of drinking plenty of water to improving academics and performance. They also looked at data around more available filling stations reducing tardies and time out of class (for water breaks). The students also knew that the new water dispenser would need to cool and filter the water so that students would want to use it.
Another benefit that they found for the project was a benefit to the environment. A bottle filler would reduce plastic bottle use at the school.
Included in the proposal was a concept to help pay for the new fountains. Their plan was to ask local businesses to help sponsor a fountain in return for a sponsorship plaque at the school.
The plan went over well in the Dean’s office.
“The Dean loved the idea, and so did the other administrators,” said the school’s JAG instructor Tammie Archibald.
In February, the students invited representatives from their first business to the classroom to pitch them on the idea. The business that day was Simplot Silica. Simplot’s general manager Jared Jackson loved the idea so much that he offered to buy an entire fountain for the project.
“They even asked Wheeler Electric to be a partner in the project so that they could run electricity to the fountain for the cooling unit,” Archibald said.
With that success under their belt, the students decided to approach other businesses in town. They made a second presentation to Christina Earon and Mitchell Smith of Smith/Lynne Charities, Inc. who loved the project as well. Smith/Lynne purchased a second fountain.
The first of the two fountains has already been installed and was unveiled last week in a special photo op for all the donors.
Archibald mentioned that the MVHS building engineer, Kevin Bennett, had to retrofit the new fountain into the old fountain space. “It was a big challenge,” she said. “He has been really great to work with and the project would not be possible without his efforts.”
Both fountains are expected to be in full operaton by the next school year. And each one features a special counter to show how many water bottles have been saved since the fountain was put into operation.
“This has been a very exciting project and I am very proud of this group of students,” said JAG instructor Tammie Archibald. “They have worked very hard and have really accomplished something.”
