Photo Credit: CFISDNews
Bridgeland HS HOSA students lead initiative about energy drinks
By Drake Thomas, Bridgeland HS, CFISD Journalism Network collaboration
A group of Bridgeland High School HOSA (Health Occupations Students of America) has initiated a campaign called “Think Before You Drink” to raise awareness about the potential hidden dangers of energy drinks. They cite addiction, poor sleep, excessive chemicals and long-term health risks as major concerns.
Bridgeland freshman Avani Deshpande explained why she and her friends felt compelled to take action.
“Energy drinks are really popular right now, especially brands like Alani, Nu and Celsius,” Deshpande said. “A lot of my friends carry them around just because it’s trendy.”
According to a study by the National Library of Medicine, energy drinks can contain up to 505 milligrams of caffeine per can, whereas a cup of coffee typically contains a maximum of 150 milligrams per serving. Deshpande specifically pointed to the high levels of stimulants, sugar and other additives for what makes the drinks potentially harmful.
“There are a lot of chemicals in them that affect everything from your physical health to how well you sleep,” Deshpande said.
To help raise awareness about energy drinks, Bridgeland HOSA members organized a 5K fun run where people could donate to the American Heart Association.
“Eventually, over time, a lot of people started donating and we got over $540,” Deshpande said.
Deshpande and her group were able to accomplish this by advertising on various platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. Another project the group did was a presentation at the Berry Center for a community awareness event talking about the risk of energy drinks.
“We want to inform teenagers on a topic that we believe is really important because a lot of people are using energy drinks,” Deshpande said.
The final project of the initiative was recording a public service announcement to inform the community. The video reached more than 20,000 people.
“We thought it would go viral but seeing that we reached so many people gave us the motivation to keep going because we didn’t think it would reach so many people,” Deshpande said.
“Think Before You Drink” has helped spread awareness and introduce alternatives.
“There are lots of alternatives like sparkling water, smoothies and electrolytes,” Deshpande said. “These are drinks that can still boost your energy without reducing your health.”
Source: CFISD
