In This Issue

• HSC News: Boston Marathon; School Nurse Advocacy
• Program Updates: Green Clean Schools
• Recent Blog Entries: Green Schools; Climate Change; When Students Ask for Wellness

HSC News

HSC Team Brings School Health to Prestigious Boston Marathon

Joel Harris (left), a member of HSC’s team for the 2007 Chicago marathon, completed the Boston Marathon in under three hours.

A team of six runners for the Healthy Schools Campaign charity athletics team completed the prestigious Boston Marathon on Monday, raising awareness of school health issues and more than $18 thousand in funds to support HSC’s work promoting healthy eating and active lifestyles in schools.

The team gathered for pasta and camaraderie the evening before the race, where HSC Founding Executive Director Rochelle Davis expressed the organization’s great appreciation for runners’ tremendous accomplishment and dedication to school health. The runners shared their own experiences and tips for the course and the recovery process.

"The group instantaneously connected," Davis said. "It was amazing to see their team spirit and their remarkable connection to healthy schools."

The team included Elizabeth Branning, Julio Hernandez, Philip Magno, Allison Rowe, Kristen Sinclair, and Jorge Vargas. Many thanks to these incredible runners and all of the family and friends who supported them.

Learn more about how you can be part of HSC’s Charity Athletics Team »

School Nurses Speak Up for Health at Advocacy Day

School nurse Julie Niemiec and Rep. Joseph Lyons

School nurse advocates

Healthy Schools Campaign and the Illinois Association of School Nurses hosted the second annual School Nurse Lobby Day last week, bringing more than 40 school nurses to Springfield to raise awareness of issues surrounding health in schools.

HSC deputy director Mark Bishop and School Nurse Advisory Committee members Vyki Jackson and Linda Gibbons spoke at a meeting of the State Board of Education regarding the need for a state school nurse consultant position, and many nurse advocates attended the meeting to show their support on the issue.

The advocacy day included training on how to effectively engage with legislators as well as an overview of the issues currently before the legislature that affect student health. The nurses met with their State Representatives and were able to discuss the issues they care about, raising awareness not only of the issues but of the valuable role school nurses can play as resources for our elected leaders concerned with the health of students and school staff.

Plus: HSC is launching a special School Nurse Leadership Series especially for certified nurses in the Chicago Public Schools. Learn more or apply »

HSC & ISSA Train Distributors to Support Schools Going Green

Presenters (L-R): Bill Balek of ISSA; Mark Bishop of HSC; Kate Tomford and Dan Persky of the Office of the Lt. Governor; and Steve Ashkin of The Ashkin Group and the Green Cleaning Network.

Schools making the transition to green cleaning as required by the Illinois Green Clean Schools Act will be able to turn to cleaning product distributors for help developing and maintaining a cleaning program, thanks to training provided by HSC and ISSA, the professional association for the cleaning industry.

The distributors who provide cleaning products to schools can play a key role in the state-wide transition to green by understanding what the law requires and how they can work with schools to design safe, effective green cleaning programs that protect the health of everyone in the building and often help schools save money.

The training, which took place at the Chicago Center for Green Technology on April 17, featured speakers from Healthy Schools Campaign, ISSA, the Office of the Lt. Governor of Illinois, the Green Cleaning Network and the Association of School Business Officials International.

Attendees gained knowledge of how to work productively with schools in developing green cleaning programs; how green cleaning affects the school environment and children’s ability learn; what the green clean schools act requires; how to develop a meaningful green cleaning program in a school setting; and how to work with schools from a financial and operational perspective.

Plus: Get updates on implementation of the green clean schools act »

Recent Blog Entries

HSC's staff experts discuss news stories and new developments every week at the HSC Blog. Stop by and leave a question or comment. And while you're there, enter your email address for automatic delivery on days when a new blog entry has been posted. Here's a look at some of our recent posts:

"Friends Make the Party Fun:" Children Speak up for Wellness | by Rob Rogers
What is it that motivates school leaders to adopt meaningful wellness policies? In some cases, the impetus came from students. When the principal of Marion Jordan school in Illinois received a letter signed by hundreds of students, she was determined to see change in her school ... Read more

Updates & Resources from the Green Schools Caucus | by Rochelle Davis
Last Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representative’s Green Schools Caucus met to continue the discussion of the benefits of green school construction. In addition to saving money on energy costs, green schools can support student learning and promote health among everyone who uses the building ... Read more

Connecting the Issues of Food and Global Climate Change | by Rochelle Davis
Anna Lappe (a bestselling author and advocate for sustainability and food justice) has just launched a new website on the connection between food and global climate change as she researches a new book, “Eat the Sky: Food, Farming and Climate Change.” Given Healthy Schools Campaign’s dual priorities on environmental issues and food and fitness, it is interesting to see how these two issue become connected ... Read more

"To me, I think it's a good idea. I think it's about time we started looking at our children's future and our health. We just want to make the schools a safe place."
- Gary Eastman, supervisor of building operations for Rock Island/Milan School District, on the new Green Clean Schools Act going into effect May 9 in Illinois, as quoted in the Quad Cities Dispatch

Events

April 29 | Green School Tour and Workshop  | More

New law to make cleaning schools more environmentally friendly
4.20.2008 | HSC's Mark Bishop is quoted in this article about the new Green Clean Schools Act.

View all coverage »

Jobs

HSC Interns
HSC is seeking part-time interns with a variety of interests and skills | More

Executive Director, The Talking Farm
The Talking Farm, a small nonprofit seeking to establish an urban farm and environmental learning center, is seeking a part-time executive director | More

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program Grants
Deadline: May 16, 2008
To increase fruit and vegetable consumption in elementary and secondary schools | More

Live Green Teacher Grants
Deadline: May 15, 2008
For middle school teachers to develop innovative ideas for furthering environmental and energy sustainability | More

Environmental Justice Small Grants
Deadline: June 30, 2008
For projects addressing a local environmental and public health issue | More

Governor's Pollution Prevention Awards
Deadline: May 19, 2008
For schools, service organizations, manufacturers and other businesses | More

Indoor Air Quality Grants
Deadline: April 29, 2008
Grants related to the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program | More

Midwest Clean Diesel Grants
Deadline: June 12, 2008
For diesel emission reduction solutions such as retrofit technologies and cleaner fuel use| More