ACS has been awarded an $800 grant from the AtlantiCare Healthy Schools, Healthy Children program to purchase and install a new water bottle filling station in the school’s Multi-Purpose Room. The new station, which will replace an existing water fountain, will provide healthy, filtered water year-round for students, staff, and visitors. The grant check was presented to Chief School Administrator Karen Oblen at an AtlantiCare workshop on Tuesday, January 9. Pictured at the workshop, from left, are Mrs. Oblen and AtlantiCare health educator Amy Hogan.

“We hope this new water bottle filling station will encourage everyone to make the healthy choice to choose to drink water over other sugary beverages,” Oblen said. “The new station will also help reduce waste from disposable plastic bottles, a important conservation benefit for our environment.”  The new station should also provide a cost-saving benefit to students and staff, who will not have to spend money purchasing additional water bottles, but can simply refill at the station.

The water bottle filling station is expected to be installed by early spring. Oblen also noted that ACS received an AtlantiCare grant last year to build and install a greenhouse adjacent to the current school garden. She said plans are underway to finish the greenhouse and open it this spring. The ACS Boy Scout Troop 389, overseen by Scoutmaster and ACS parent Mike Jorgenson, is expected to take the lead role in building and erecting the greenhouse.