By JT Santana | jtwb768

I am beyond disappointed that I even need to write this.

An announcement from Mid City High School promotes a free “Mav Energy Drink” for students with attendance of 80 percent or higher during its Fall Fest. Let me state this without softening it: the Davenport Community School District should immediately prohibit energy drinks from being distributed to students as prizes, incentives, competition rewards, attendance rewards, academic rewards, behavior rewards, athletic rewards, or rewards for anything else.

There is no responsible health argument for a public school handing energy drinks to teenagers!!

The Medical Evidence Is Not Ambiguous

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that energy drinks commonly contain large quantities of caffeine, added sugar and other stimulants. The CDC identifies potential harms that include increased blood pressure and heart rate, dehydration, anxiety, insomnia, irregular heartbeat and, in serious cases, heart complications. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents not consume energy drinks. (CDC)

A 2026 review in The American Journal of Medicine goes further. Pediatric randomized trials have documented acute changes in blood pressure, autonomic regulation and cardiac rhythm at commercially available doses. The author calls for schools and athletic organizations to end youth-facing promotion of these products. (PubMed)

Read that again.

Medical literature is telling schools to help keep these products away from minors. Mid City High School is handing one out as a prize.

Mental Health Is Part of This Discussion

The mental-health evidence makes this decision still more disturbing. Systematic reviews have found energy-drink consumption among young people associated with anxiety, depressive symptoms, psychological distress, impulsivity, irritability and anger, panic behaviors, poor sleep, short sleep duration, sensation-seeking, risky behavior and suicidal ideation or attempts. Research has found associations with violent and delinquent behaviors, too. (PubMed)

Researchers are careful about causation, and we should be equally careful. An association does not mean drinking one energy drink causes depression, aggression or suicidal behavior. Much of this research is observational.

That caveat does not make distributing these products to teenagers defensible.

Schools deal every day with students struggling with anxiety, depression, irritability, impulsivity, emotional regulation, attention difficulties and inadequate sleep. Why would a school knowingly distribute a stimulant product associated with anxiety, sleep disruption, irritability and other adverse psychological outcomes?

What possible educational objective is served by that?

The Hypocrisy Is Staggering

Davenport Community Schools states that student well-being directly affects learning and behavior. Its Health Services program says a healthy body, healthy mind and healthy living habits are central to students reaching their educational potential. Its Food and Nutrition program says proper nutrition is fundamental to academic success and describes creating healthier school environments as a goal. (Davenport Community School District)

Then a district school offers teenagers energy drinks as a reward.

That is institutional hypocrisy.

You cannot tell students that sleep matters, mental health matters, nutrition matters and healthy choices matter, then attach a school-sanctioned reward to a highly caffeinated stimulant beverage. You cannot preach wellness in health class and undermine that message at a school celebration.

The contradiction is indefensible.

Stop It Now

This should not require a committee studying the issue for six months.

The Davenport Community School District should issue an immediate districtwide directive: no energy drinks may be purchased, distributed, donated or provided to students as prizes, rewards, incentives, promotional items or competition awards at any district school or district-sponsored activity.

Attendance? Find another reward.

Great grades? Find another reward.

Winning a competition? Find another reward.

School spirit? Find another reward.

There are hundreds of ways to recognize teenagers that do not involve handing them stimulant beverages pediatric experts say they should not consume.

Schools are supposed to protect students’ health, reinforce healthy behavior and model sound decision-making. Giving teenagers energy drinks as prizes fails every one of those responsibilities.

Stop handing them out. Period.