What happens when you serve 280 students ages 16 to 24 three meals a day, and suddenly remove all soda machines from the cafeteria?

Absolutely nothing.

To the delight of Café Supervisor Deb Lane, the only comments received regarding the elimination of soda have been positive. “I haven’t received a single complaint,” she says. “In fact, I’ve only heard positive comments from everyone!”

Students Krystal Forbes and James Marti agreed. “I was already drinking the juices anyway,” Krystal said. “I like the new choices they’re offering, too.”

“Plus, juice is a lot healthier for you than soda,” added James.

Ms. Lane says that this kind of student awareness of healthier eating is at a level she’s never seen in the 15 years since working at Northlands. “The students are the ones asking for many of the positive, healthy changes that have been instituted recently.” Some examples of the healthier options include whole grain breads and pizza dough, fat-free milks, substituting applesauce and other ingredients for sugar and offering more vegetarian entrées.

Northlands’ efforts to provide additional healthy foods coincide with the Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyles (HEALS) program which was rolled out to all Job Corps centers nationwide this year. In addition, choosing a healthier diet is a cornerstone of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative, of which Northlands is a partner. The goal of Let’s Move is to solve the epidemic of youth obesity within a generation.

The best part, according to Ms. Lane, is that these changes are not being forced upon students against their will. “These students are asking for them,” she says.