In This Issue

• HSC News: Wellness Pioneer Awards
• Recent Blog Entries: At the Front Lines of School Health

HSC News

First Annual Wellness Pioneer Awards Recognize Outstanding Schools

The first annual Wellness Pioneer Awards were presented on Friday, Feb. 29 to four schools selected by a panel of parent and community leaders for their accomplishments related to food and physical activity at school:
• Eli Whitney School
• Lowell School
• McAuliffe School
• McCormick School

These four public schools are located in the heart of Chicago’s Latino communities on the North and South sides of the city.

The schools’ wellness-related achievements are the result of the tireless work of parents and community members who have established and maintained School Wellness Teams to implement the district-wide wellness policy at a school level.

Parents at each of the schools attended training presented by Parents United for Healthy Schools/Padres Unidos para Escuelas Saludables, a coalition of more than 30 parent and community groups brought together by HSC. The training addressed strategies for making change in addition to information about nutrition and physical activity.

The awards were presented at a Principals Breakfast for School Wellness hosted by Parents United and attended by approximately 150 parents, principals, elected officials and community leaders.

The coalition is gaining national attention for engaging parents and community in the effort to make schools healthy places to learn and work.

HSC Supports Fruit and Vegetable Snack Program

HSC has signed on to a coalition in support of the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Snack program as part of the Farm Bill. The Senate version of the bill would provide funding for 4.5 million low-income elementary school children in 5,000 schools nation-wide to receive a fresh fruit or vegetable snack every day at school. Now, a joint committee is reviewing the House and Senate versions of the bill.

We hope that our elected officials will provide funding for this program that promotes healthy eating to school children around the country.

HSC Welcomes New Staff

HSC is pleased to welcome a new charity athletics coordinator!

Allison Krass brings nine years of event planning, communications and marketing experience in agency, non-profit and corporate arenas. At HSC, Allison will bring together Healthy Schools teams for the Boston Marathon, ING New York City Marathon, Bank of America Chicago Marathon and a range of other athletic events. Interested in running for HSC? You can e-mail Allison or call (312) 419-1810.

Plus: HSC is seeking Interns with a variety of skills and interests »

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:

At the Front Lines of School Health | by Mark Bishop
This past weekend I was asked to speak at a public hearing held by SEIU on healthy school environments. SEIU represents janitorial workers and school food service staff in many schools. Given our commitment to both green cleaning and healthy food, I was interested in hearing their members’ perspectives on these two issues. What I heard that day was both inspiring and demoralizing. It was inspiring to hear story after story of dedicated individuals, passionate about their work and about helping kids. On the other hand, the stories I heard highlighted the flaws that exist in the system -- a system where schools don't have enough money to operate, where margins are so thin that contractors are forced to minimize labor costs, where our political leaders struggle to find money to fairly and adequately fund our schools. .... Read more

Dangerous Lesson: Chemical Spill Highlights Need for Green Cleaning | by Claris Olson
The Chicago Tribune recently reported a cleaning chemical spill at a school in Country Club Hills, Ill. The spill sent 24 students and two teachers to the hospital; 400 students were evacuated and the school was temporarily closed. Unfortunately, it is only through accidents like these, the ones that make headline news, that we’re alerted to the significant hazards of conventional cleaning chemicals.... Read more

More Good News about Green Schools | by Claris Olson
Aren’t green schools just the best? If you aren’t convinced yet, check out this article from the School Library Journal that profiles green schools across the country. In addition to saving money through more energy efficient building design, these school buildings are also reducing their emissions of carbon dioxide, one of the most significant contributors to global warming... Read more

Cleaning up Dirty Diesel School Buses | by Mark Bishop
Cleaning up dirty diesels may have just gotten a step easier in Illinois. In Illinois, there are more than 18,000 buses that transport over 2 million school children to and from school every day. While riding on a school bus is generally a safe way for a student to travel to school, diesel exhaust from school buses can pose a significant health threat to school children, drivers and school staff .... Read more

"It's so simple. Primitive man did it for years."
- Homeowner Dirk Dypold, on the basic green renovations he made to his 120-year-old farmhouse that is now a destination for environmental studies field trips, as quoted in the Courier News

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

Make a donation
You have the power to help make healthy schools a reality through a gift to HSC or a donation in honor of a friend, family member or a child in your life! | More

Chicago’s Very Own: Healthy School Lunch
WGN
View this segment featuring HSC’s work with the Noble Network of Charter Schools to bring healthy, freshly-prepared food to the school cafeteria »

Climate Change: Connections and Solutions
Facing the Future is pleased to announce the release of grants and curriculum resources | More

Teeth on the Go
Delta Dental is pleased to offer free dental education programs to Illinois schools. To learn more, call 866-537-6400.