BINGHAMTON, NY - In recognition of the Binghamton City School District's commitment, perseverance and leadership in the area of health and wellness, the Broome County Health Department's Steps to a HealthierNY initiative will present Superintendent Dr. Peggy J. Wozniak with an honorary flag on Thursday, August 11, 2005 at 10:00 a.m. in the Community Room at Columbus School, 164 Hawley Street, Binghamton.

The Binghamton Patriots have been instrumental in collaborating with the Steps to a HealthierNY initiative to reduce the burden of obesity, asthma and diabetes in their school community, by implementing nutrition and wellness programs and instituting policies that promote healthy living.

Poor diet and inadequate physical activity are the second leading cause of death in the United States and together account for at least 300,000 deaths annually. According to the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) obesity and overweight have reached epidemic proportions in the United States. The Binghamton City School District has been a leader in our community in addressing both of these serious issues.

This is particularly important because the Centers for Disease Control warns that one in three children born in the United States in 2000 will become diabetic unless many more people start eating less and exercising more. There are twice as many overweight children and almost three times as many overweight adolescents as there were in 1980. In 2000, 15% of children aged 6 to 11 were overweight and nearly 16% of adolescents were overweight in the United States (2003 Action for Healthy Kids).

With a very active wellness committee of dedicated school administrators, food service management, health related teaching professionals and community partners, the Binghamton Patriots have been a role model for school communities throughout Broome County, New York State, and the nation.

Binghamton is one of the three original school districts in Broome County to launch the Give Me 5 program, which promotes the consumption of fruits and vegetables for better health. They were instrumental in the planning and development of the program and have been a leader and model to the schools which have followed in their footsteps. Some of the Binghamton Patriots accomplishments include setting nutrition policies to increase opportunities for faculty, staff and students to get their five servings of fruits and vegetables a day and decrease the number of unhealthy options available in their cafeterias.

Some students participating in the after school program at West Middle School had the opportunity to participate in a hands-on cooking program offered by Operation Frontline. Students were taught cooking skills by local chefs and gained information on nutrition, healthy snacking and the importance of variety and moderation in their diet. Students at Ben Franklin and Theodore Roosevelt had the opportunity to sample some breakfast dishes made with locally grown produce as they celebrated NY Kids for NY Harvest Week.

The Binghamton City School District is also a proud recipient of the Carol M. White Physical Education Program (PEP Grant) through Broome-Tioga BOCES. This grant has helped with initiating, expanding, and improving physical education programs designed to assist students in making progress toward meeting state standards for physical education.

Several faculty, staff and students have enrolled in the community-wide walking programs B.C. Walks and B.C. Walks, Jr. During Walk 'N' Roll 2005 1,320 Binghamton Patriots participated in B.C. Walks and B.C. Walks Jr. Horace Mann had the greatest participation with 420 students and 70 faculty and staff and were the winners of a physical activity party with Star 105.7 and Louie G.

Binghamton City School District is working to inspire students who are not traditionally active to become more active and lead healthier lifestyles. Their lunchtime recess program aims to educate and motivate elementary students to become active during their free time through non-traditional activities including snowshoeing and rollerblading.

The Binghamton Patriots have been a leader in the American Lung Association's asthma management and education program Open Airways. This program teaches children, aged 8-11, how to detect the warning signs of asthma, including the environmental factors that can trigger an attack.

To learn more about the Broome County Health Department's Steps to a HealthierNY initiative and how your school can participate in its programs contact Becky Gelunas by phone at 607.778.3902 or e-mail at rgelunas@co.broome.ny.us.

Steps to a HealthierNY is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of Steps to a HealthierUS, a national program focusing on the prevention of diabetes, obesity and asthma and addressing related risk factors--poor nutrition, physical inactivity and tobacco use and exposure. For more information about Steps to a HealthierNY in Broome County, please visit www.gobroomecounty.com or call 607.778.3902.

Steps to a HealthierUS Cooperative Agreement is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) program advancing the HealthierUS goal to help Americans live longer, better and healthier lives. Through funding of community-based interventions, this program aims to reduce the burden of diabetes, obesity and asthma, and address three related risk behaviors--poor nutrition, physical inactivity and tobacco use and exposure. For more information, please visit www.healthierus.gov/steps.

CONTACT:
Becky Gelunas, School Health Coordinator
Broome County Health Department: 607.778.3902
email: rgelunas@co.broome.ny.us

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