Soft drinks are the beverage of choice for millions Of Americans, and it is no different for students at Williston. During meals in the dining hall, many students are left wondering why the school does not cater to cravings by installing a soda dispenser in the Birch Dining Commons.

The drinks offered in the dining hall include unsweetened iced tea and lemonade, many popular juices, a variety of milk, and water. The dining hall also offers hot beverages such as coffee, hot chocolate, and tea. The dining hall had soda until 2014.

Andrew Syfu, the Head of Ford Hall, agrees with the decision to keep soda out of the dining hall due to the health factors.

“l believe having soda in the dining hall is unnecessary,” Syfu said.

He went on to say that the school has the obligation to look out for the health of students, and he agrees with the decision to keep soda out of in the dining hall.

Trevor Corsello, a junior from Long Island, would love to see soda added and believes it would provide more variety.

“I would want Coke, Sprite, and Dr. Pepper as a choice if soda was added to the dining hall,” Trevor said.  “This addition would make so many more people go to the dining hall and would add a greater variety of beverages during meals. ”

Matt Pimentel, class of ’20, believes soda would not be a good addition because there are already enough options.

“It’s perfect as it is right now, there is no need for soda. You got your Powerades, your milks, your hot chocolates, your water. They have everything already” explained Matt.

It seems that even though many students would like to see soda, the health risks play a factor in the decision to keep it out.

Mr. McCullagh, the Chief Financial Officer, said soda poses too much of a health risk to students.

“We decided to not include soda about six years ago, and a lot of other schools do the same,” Mr. McCullagh said. “The decision was based on the fact it adds a lot of unnecessary sugar in [students’] diet, and we decided it would be better if we had a healthier drink selection.”