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ASHA's new identity! I took full advantage of being back in Portland for the third time in 3 months, this time at the American School Health Association Conference. Being that I just moved from there to Kentucky less than a year ago, there were plenty of people to connect with, but I focused on my own professional development and networking while in downtown Portland.I was asked by Linda Morse, President of ASHA and Lee Lowery, ASHA Read ▸ about American School Health Association Conference

My alarm goes off at 5:20am. I don’t even press the snooze button because I’m super excited to lead the 6am, 4.5 mile run from the conference hotel in downtown Louisville over the Big Four Bridge (no, seriously… I am excited!). I lie there curious to know if anyone will even show up and wonder to myself, if they don’t, will I still run or come back home and crawl into bed? I get dressed, eat a hardboiled egg, drink some tea and walk the 3 blocks from where I live in downtown Louisville to the Read ▸ about Southern Obesity Summit- Day 2

“It’s just a question of changing political will.” — Larry Cohen, Executive Director, Prevention Institute A fabulous panel of experts from a variety of backgrounds in obesity work and from across the US opened the 8th Annual Southern Obesity Summit in Louisville, Kentucky last night. Dr. Stephanie Mayfield Gibson, Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Public Health set the stage by sharing what’s happening in Kentucky, both from data and programmatic perspectives, Read ▸ about Southern Obesity Summit- Day 1

I find it fascinating when the work we do, experiences we have and the products we design transfer into another project or component of our lives.Years ago, Ecumenical Industries of Oregon received a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation grant to develop a needs assessment tool to help faith-based organizations address healthy eating and physical activity within their faith-based environments. I was brought on board to help adapt Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's School Health Read ▸ about Application Transfer

Honoring schools in Prince Georges County Public Schools who have sustained their school health programs a year after their direct technical assistance has ended. Sean Slade from ASCD sharing that in order to get students to Read ▸ about Supporting Sustainability

I find myself meeting new people fairly regularly here in Kentucky and hearing a comment like the title of this blog. What's fascinating to me is that people actually categorize healthy people in a way that could never include them. As if they're stating, Oh, you're black." "Oh, you're a banker." "Oh, you're divorced." Things they may never actually be. Anyone can lead a healthy lifestyle. I mean, I understand access is essential, education imperative. However, when these comments come from Read ▸ about “Oh, You’re One of Those Healthy People…”

“SIF is a White House initiative and program of the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Social Innovation Fund has the simple, but vital goal of finding solutions that work, and making them work for more people.We unite public and private resources to evaluate and grow innovative community-based solutions that have evidence of results in low-income communities in any of three priority areas: economic opportunity, healthy futures, and youth development.”  I'm Read ▸ about It Was a DC Kind of Day…

Yup. I said it. Actually, I heard it from colleague Jamie Sparks while he was speaking at an event. What he went on to say was that it appears the only time a school or district actually cares about how much sleep a child gets or what they eat for breakfast is on those dreaded statewide standardized testing days. Years ago, teaching 7th grade, memories of healthier breakfast options during that April week of test taking come to mind. Somebody on my middle school staff read something about Read ▸ about If Only Everyday Could be a Standardized Test Day…