Welcome to the Winter 2009 Edition of the Newsletter!

Altoona Area School District has Great Success with PA Tracks Grant Program

Altoona Area School District (AASD) has found great success with the implementation of the Pennsylvania Tracks Grant program.  The grant was received for six elementary schools in The AASD, however the District opted to fund the implementation of the program in the additional four elementary schools that did not qualify for the grant. 

“The increase in the number of children who are obese and the concern about the impact of the lack of healthy lifestyle are two reasons why AASD views participation in the Nutrition Tracks Program as an opportunity to ensure that our students are getting important knowledge that will help them realize the importance of good nutrition,” stated Dr. Mary Lou Ray, Director of Curriculum and Instruction.

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Annual Healthy Schools Campaign Kicks Off

by Danielle Sunday, nrg Balance

For the past five years, schools throughout Pennsylvania have committed to providing students with improved nutrition and physical activity offerings as part of the annual Keystone Healthy Zone campaign.

The campaign, now in its sixth year, has engaged more than 2,682 schools and reached 3.5 million children. Enrollment for the 2009/2010 campaign kicks off with a new campaign name – nrgBalance Zones – and increased offerings for members.

Beginning on February 2, all Pennsylvania schools (public and private, k-12) and, new this year, community recreation centers (with after-school programs) are invited to become part of the statewide nrgBalance movement by enrolling as an nrgBalance Zone.

Developed by the Penn State Hershey Center for Nutrition & Activity Promotion, nrgBalance initiatives – programs, campaigns and events – equip schools and after-school programs with the resources and support needed to improve policies, programs and environmental characteristics for healthy eating and physical activity.

Key to the nrgBalance movement, the nrgBalance Zone campaign is a unique opportunity for schools and after-school programs to be publicly recognized for making a year-long commitment to improving the health and wellness of today’s youth.

Data collected from 2007/2008 participants revealed that the focus on policy and environmental changes in Pennsylvania schools has resulted in childhood obesity rates that are lower than national estimates.

For the full version of this article, please Click Here. 

National Board of Public Health Examiners Announces Award of the First Public Health Certification

National Board of Public Health Examiners (NBPHE) announces the award of its inaugural Certification in Public Health (CPH) to over 500 qualifying professionals.

PA NEN’s Network Director, Christine Mullin, has been awarded the Certification in Public Health. Christine Mullin was one of the 500 to receive this prestigious certification.

The CPH exam was administered for the first time both in the U.S. and in international locations during August 11-30, 2008. Professionals who passed the exam have been notified. These individuals are not only acknowledged as being Certified in Public Health, but are also recognized with the special honor of being the Charter Class of Certified in Public Health due to their commitment to furthering the CPH exam in its very first cycle.

Dean Donna Petersen, Chair of the National Board of Public Health Examiners and Dean of the University of South Florida College of Public Health said, "First-time test takers are making history - they will be part of a landmark event in the development of the profession of public health. We are grateful to each of these pioneers, and we encourage others to register for the next examination to be held in August 2009."

To read the complete press release, Click Here.

History of PA NEN - PA NEN Starts 2009 off with Many Exciting Changes

by Christine E. Mullin, MPH, CPH, R.D., Network Director

PA NEN rang in the New Year by restructuring some of the office operations to better serve its members and low-income population. The staffing structure of PA NEN has been reviewed and revised over the past twelve years to accommodate our growing needs. Current staff changes have presented an ideal opportunity to restructure our present positions. Combining the PA Event & Publications Planner position and the PA NEN Promoter position into one position was a logical step and will streamline PA NEN’s operations. With the combination of those two jobs there arose the need for a Staff Clerical Assistant position to assist with the daily operations of the office, as well to provide the best possible service to our membership and community. The addition of a Staff Clerical Assistant position will further enhance our ability to provide better service to our membership. The job openings have been posted on the PA NEN Website and Listserv. The job posting will remain open until February 20th.

PA NEN Conference Committee has been working diligently to plan, promote and implement our Annual Conference scheduled for April 28th and 29th this year.

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FRIDGE - Food, Family and Fellowship
An Intergenerational Nutrition Education Program 

FRIDGE, which stands for Food-Related Intergenerational Discussion Group Experiences, is a program that aims to help family members of different generations to enhance their  communication about food, learn more about food and nutrition and improve family eating habits through teamwork. These goals are achieved through a 16-20 hour training program designed for a group of 4-8 families, with each family represented by one or more children of ages 10-15, their parents, and, if available, their grandparents or other relatives in care giving roles. The curriculum includes a series of fun, hands-on activities that fit into the following three sections: Section 1: Enhancing family communication about food. Section 2: Learning together about food and nutrition. Section 3: Working as a team to improve family eating practices.

FRIDGE was developed as part of the Penn State Intergenerational Program, and with funding from the Pennsylvania Nutrition Education TRACKS, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS).

FRIDGE is on the approved list of Tracks curricula for both the adult/senior and school-age tracks for FY2008. Use of the curriculum requires the presence of at least two generations within a family; children between the ages of 10-15 and their parents and/or grandparents.

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PA NEN’s 9th Annual Conference 

Save the Date for PA NEN’s Annual Conference - April 27-28, 2009
PA Nutrition Education Network Annual Conference 2009 – New Horizons in Food & Nutrition will  focus on bringing partners together to eliminate hunger and boost the nutrition of low-income families.

If you work with low-income audiences you need to attend this conference! Share ideas, challenges, and insights into emerging food and nutrition issues and initiatives. Meet your colleagues from all over the state and work together to address hunger and other food and nutrition related issues. Expand your professional network while enhancing your personal skills and knowledge.

Call for Abstracts 2009
A new addition to this year’s conference will be a poster session featuring the work of graduate and undergraduate students working with food issues for low-income audiences. You are invited to submit abstracts of original research including but not limited to basic and applied research to low-income population and other suitable topics that are applicable to the Nutrition Education efforts for low-income populations in Pennsylvania. 

Posters will be on display starting at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, April 28 and ending at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, April 29.