“If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water.” – Loren Eiseley

Although stated decades earlier, nature writer and anthropologist Loren Eiseley’s words still echo today. Water is an essential part of life, so it’s obvious that it should play a significant role in each person’s life. However, many people don’t reach the recommended 8 glasses of 8 ounces of water a day.

To combat this, a challenge has been issued to teachers around the school to drink the recommended amount of water, daily, for the month of September. The only rule is that only water can be logged (no caffeine drinks or drinks containing sugar/sugar free sweetener). Considering the  many benefits to drinking water, and the challenge is intended as a fun way to get more people to consume it.

EHS staff member Mrs. Janie Boyden, the curator of the ongoing challenge, had her reasons for spearheading the challenge. “It was a way to motivate teachers to live a healthier lifestyle.” Teachers nowadays are clearly busy, Boyden states, so having healthy activities to throw in here or there is a great way for teachers to focus on their well-being. However, this is not the first activity that Boyden has organized. “Some other stuff that was done in the past to get teachers to increase their health are activities like Zumba classes, emotional help, and similar things like this.”

For this challenge, nothing out of the ordinary needs to happen. There is no special equipment needed, no class to attend, and no monitored accountability. In fact, teachers can still live normally–all they have to do is drink some extra water. Boyden recognizes that teachers so much on their plate already: grading, making assignments, and making sure that their students are getting the information they need; she didn’t want anything that would impede on their time limited off. “It’s an amazing way for teachers to promote health themselves without it affecting their time at all.”

This challenge isn’t just good for teachers either. People of all ages and occupations can benefit from it, as well. Water keeps the muscles healthy, it improves digestion, boosts metabolism, helps in weight loss, improves skin complexion, increases immune system, relieves fatigue, flushes out toxins, regulates internal temperature, acts as a shock absorber in many parts of the body, and lubricates joints. On top of all that–it’s free!