Revenue tripled. The district then signed an exclusive contract with Coca-Cola to sell only its vending machines, earning an additional $11 million for a 10-year contract. Other school districts in Colorado followed, and then those throughout the United States. Most of the contracts were the work of Dan DeRose, who made his first deals in Colorado Springs. For a percentage of the profits it negotiates on behalf of the districts and relies on the competitiveness of the fast food and soft drink industries. Despite ongoing criticism that these advertisers have a captive audience among students, financially struggling districts welcome the revenue to defray the ever-increasing costs of curriculum, equipment and athletic programs. The food and beverage industries know that a "taste" for certain foods and beverages is formed when children are in primary school, and they promote their products there by sponsoring numerous activities with offers of food and beverage certificates. The goal, of course, is brand loyalty, and by doing so, manufacturers have a consumer for more than sixty years to come. Consider that each can of soda contains ten teaspoons of sugar and that the average teenager drinks 600 a year. More recently, the three major soft drink makers have added juice and water to their vending machines, but at much higher costs than soda. The collaboration between the fast food and soda companies has been a