February 2004 E-Newsletter

The Healthy Schools Campaign's update for February 2004.

HSC Activity  
Upcoming Events  
News Briefs and Research Notes

HSC Activity

Forum on Healthy and
High-Performing School Construction

On January 29, the Campaign sponsored a lunch-time discussion on Healthy, High Performing School Construction. Over 50 people braved the cold weather to hear Tobie Bernstein from the Environmental Law Institute and author of the recent study, "Building Healthy, High Performance Schools: A Review of Selected State and Local Initiatives," discuss the efforts of state agencies and school districts to promote healthy, high performing school construction. Providing a local perspective was Chris Buschell, Chicago Public Schools' Director of Capitol Renovations, and Linda Jamali, Governor's Staff Senior Education Policy Advisor. For more information about the Campaign's program to promote healthy, high performing schools, contact Mark Bishop at mark@healthyschoolscampaign.org.

Community Collaborative 
Holds Meeting on School Food

On January 21, the Campaign's Community Collaborative for Healthy School Environments held its second meeting to learn about the problem of childhood obesity and the role that schools can play to promote healthy eating habits. Meeting participants heard about current efforts in Illinois and at the Chicago Public Schools to address this important problem. The Community Collaborative is comprised of community based organizations interested in improving their local schools' environments. To participate, contact Louella Hung at louella@healthyschoolscampaign.org.

Campaign Hires Food Policy Director

The Campaign is pleased to announce that Camille Reid has been hired as Food Policy Director. Camille, who is three classes short of a Masters of Public Health with a Concentration in Health Policy and Administration from UIC, has worked as an organizer on an affordable health care campaign with Citizen Action/Illinois and also served as a health and nutrition peer educator. In addition, Camille comes from a long line of farmers in rural Virginia and sharecroppers in Texas. She will work with school districts on school food policy and develop farm-to-school projects across Illinois.

Campaign participates in 
Summit on Building Local Food Systems

On January 22, the Campaign participated in the Illinois Local Food Systems Forum held at the Wildlife State Park in Peoria, Illinois. The Illinois Sustainable Agriculture Committee and the Illinois Department of Agriculture organized the forum the explore ways to link food producers, processors, distributors, and consumers to build strong local food systems in Illinois. Attendees shared information with each other, learned about ongoing efforts in the area of local food systems in Illinois, and discussed strategies to increase connections among Illinois farmers, food processors, distributors, and consumers.

Campaign Welcomes UIC Intern

The Campaign is pleased to announce that Tara Hurley, registered dietician and graduate student, is working with us as a School Food Intern. She will conduct the school food environmental assessment for one of our local pilot projects.

Campaign Participates 
in Training for Art Teachers

On January 30, the Campaign co-sponsored a course on basic health and safety competencies for art educators that was held in Chicago. Experts from the UIC School of Public Health discussed important principles for providing safe and healthy art education environments. Louella Hung presented information on the school-based environmental audit program so that participants could evaluate their school environments beyond their own classrooms. For more information about the Health in the Arts program, visit www.uic.edu/sph/glakes/harts/. 

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Upcoming Events

Healthy Schools Campaign 
Continues CAN TV Call-in Show

On January 14th and February 11th the Campaign hosted their first live call-in shows on CAN TV-Channel 21. We’re excited to continue these shows in March. January’s guest was Dr. Matt Longjohn, Executive Director of the Consortium to Lower Obesity in Chicago Children, and in February the Campaign hosted Rochelle Tafolla, Director of the Clean Diesel Campaign at the American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago. 

Please tune on March 10th and call with your questions. For more information on the past broadcasts and the upcoming one in March, click here.

Laughing Matters: A Benefit to 
Support the Healthy Schools Campaign

We invite you to join us on Thursday, March 4, 2004 for Laughing Matters: Supporting Healthy Schools, a laughter-filled evening at Chicago's comedy landmark, the Second City e.t.c., to support the Healthy Schools Campaign. Laughing Matters promises to tickle not only your funny bone but also your senses. Guests will enjoy dinner created by the Illinois Institute of Arts-Culinary Arts Program using the freshest, healthiest ingredients provided by Whole Foods Market. The evening will be topped off with the wit and humor of Second City e.t.c. Click here to learn about sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets.

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Research and News of Interest

>> American Lung Association of Metropolitan Chicago releases report on school children exposure to diesel fumes. For more information, click here. 

>> Study finds 68% of Connecticut schools have indoor air that can make students and teachers sick. For more information, click here. 

>> Illinois EPA Launches Website on Clean School buses, including an on-line application for funding. For more information, click here. 

>> Schools across the country are grappling with how to clean up classroom chemistry labs. For more information, click here. 

>> Cleaning & Maintenance Management magazine includes story about Campaign's efforts to promote green cleaning. For more information, click here. 

>> National School Fitness Foundation Grants now available. For more information, click here. 

>> Preventive Medicine magazine runs article on interventions to promote vegetable and fruit consumption among youth in school settings. For more information, click here. 

>> Study indicates that minority children are more likely to be overweight than white children. For more information, click here. 

>> Robert Wood Johnson releases poll results showing that teachers and parents agree that schools should promote healthy eating and physical activity. For more information, click here.