Staying hydrated is essential to students’ success; water helps students stay engaged and reach their full potential in the classroom and helps athletes perform better in games for extended periods of time. Water stations need to be easily accessible across campus to help students relieve their thirst and promote a healthier and happier student body.

Currently, Miramonte has three hydration stations. One is next to the training room below the football field, another is near the English classrooms next to room 371, and the last is near the tennis courts next to the 100’s hall bathrooms. There are a few water fountains scattered throughout the school as well, but many don’t function properly, so working hydration stations are a perfect and environmentally friendly replacement.

Because of the inconvenient locations and scarcity of these stations, it can take up to five minutes for students to travel and get water during class. Students shouldn’t have to miss a crucial lesson because hydration stations are farther away than they should be. 

“Oftentimes during class, I don’t want to miss important lectures or lessons, so I wait until the class ends to get water. When this happens I get very tired and get headaches from dehydration and it’s hard to learn,” Miramonte  junior Gardner Dunne said.

Students shouldn’t have to choose between staying hydrated and missing time in class or being dehydrated and losing focus in the classroom. Not only is hydration vital for academic performance, but it is also a critical factor for athletes’ success. 

According to an article in Sports Cardiology, “Athletes being dehydrated can lead to a loss of strength, lesser stamina, an increased body temperature, and a higher risk of injury.” If students have to walk a few minutes during practice to get water, they miss indispensable time that could be used for athletic improvement and team bonding. And, of course, when students choose not to get water because the nearest hydration station is too far away, they have to wait until the end of practice to drink water. 

“I don’t like to miss practice to get water because practice is a time to improve and get a chance to showcase my talents. However, when I don’t have water easily accessible during a quick 30-second break, my mentality and performance decrease as time goes on,” varsity basketball and football junior Ethan Conley said.

According to Home Advisor, a contractor-matching service that provides information about home improvement and maintenance, “Hydration stations cost $500-$1,200 to be installed, with water costing $0.35 a gallon.” Although installing more hydration stations is expensive, replacing some of the existing non-working water fountains with hydration stations could help lessen this price tag. Besides, the ultimate benefit to student health far outweighs the material cost.

In order to preserve student health and well-being, there must be more hydration stations on campus. Miramonte should add a hydration station in the 200’s hall, one on the tennis courts, one next to the 400’s hall and the pool, and one near the quad and Senior Lawn. The school needs to find room in their maintenance budget for this resource. This investment in student health is well worth it.