-------
Day after day, as school bells echo
through the hallways, millions of
kids across the nation stream out
of their classrooms and into sun-filled school
yards, playgrounds, and sports fields. While
this is a familiar childhood scene, it also is one
that, without proper pre-
cautions, could endanger
the health of students. Too
much exposure to the sun's
ultraviolet (UV) rays can be harmful to any-
one's health—particularly that of a child.
In the atmosphere, the ozone layer forms a
shield that protects the Earth from the sun's
powerful UV radiation. Scientists have dis-
covered, however, that the ozone layer is thin-
ning and allowing more UV rays to reach the
Earth's surface. Combined with current sun
exposure behaviors, the thinning of the ozone
layer may increase the chance of overexposure
for adults and children. Too much exposure
to UV radiation can cause serious health
problems such as skin cancer,
cataracts, and immune
system suppression.
-------
o promote sun-safe behavior at an early age, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the
Sun Wise School Program, a national environmental and
health education program for young children. Through the use of class-
room, school, and community components, SunWise promotes sun
safety by teaching children and their caregivers how to protect them-
selves from overexposure to UV radiation.
The SunWise School Program builds upon traditional and innovative
health and science practices already used by U.S. elementary and mid-
dle schools, focusing on simple steps students and teachers can take to
prevent overexposure to the sun. While SunWise students learn about
the environmental concepts related to sun protection, they also develop
the ability to practice sustained health-
enhancing behaviors.
SunWise was developed in cooperation
with schools and educators. Providing
maximum flexibility, the program's elements
can be used as stand-alone teaching tools or
as supplements to existing school activi-
ties. The time commitment necessary to
take part in SunWise is minimal, while the poten-
tial payoff is enormous.
-------
ccording to the American Cancer Society, one in every five Americans will develop some form of skin cancer during their
lifetime. This disease, one of the most serious UV-related health effects, can begin with a simple sunburn that happens
years before skin cancer may develop. Most of a person's sun exposure occurs before the age of 18.
It is important to remember that children of all skin types need to be protected from overexposure to the sun. While it is true
that the incidence of skin cancer is lower in dark-skinned individuals, the disease still occurs in all skin types.
The risk of other UV-related health effects, such as eye damage and immune suppression, is not depend-
ent upon skin type, and all children must be protected.
By teaching children to take some basic precautions when they're out in the sun—such
as wearing protective clothing and sunglasses, using sunscreen, and seeking shad
teachers, nurses, parents, and other caregivers can instill life-long protective
habits that reduce the risk of future UV-related health problems.
unWise is a fun and easy way to protect the health of
children. Any school can participate, from single or
multiple classrooms to entire schools, or even school
districts. The program is designed for kindergarten
through eighth-grade learning levels, with specific
age-appropriate materials available for all learning
levels. A random sample of participants will be
asked to complete the SunWise Student Survey before
and after implementing at least one of a range of SunWise
activities. Following are some of the activities that SunWise
schools can choose to undertake:
-------
Teaching cross-curricular classroom lessons and activities.
Gathering UV ground data from hand-held
monitors and using the Sun Wise Internet
Learning Site to report and compare the
findings to daily UV Index forecasts.
Holding schoolwide sun safety events and assemblies.
B
y joining EPA's Sun Wise School Program, participants
will have access to the following useful tools to help
teach sun-safe behaviors in the classroom:
SunWise ToolKit—includes cross-curricular lessons designed for
kindergarten through eighth-grade learning levels and
features a range of activities and background information.
Schools also will receive tools to help implement sun safety
school policies, events, structural changes, and community
partnerships.
77?^ SunWise Internet Learning Site and UV Database—is an
interactive medium where students can report and interpret
daily UV radiation levels using a hand-held UV monitoring
Improving school policies and structural designs to reduce
students' exposure to the most intense UV rays and provide
more shade structures on school grounds.
Reaching out to the community by forming partnerships with
local businesses and organizations or by hosting guest speakers.
device loaned to participating schools through the program,
link to additional Web-based educational activities and
resources, and correspond with other
SunWise schools.
Additional Materials—
games, puzzles,
incentives, Web-
based activities,
and other items
are being
developed.
-------
Checking out television, radio, newspaper, and Internet
weather forecasts in many cities across the country can now
give you access to a powerful sun safety tool—the UV
Index. The UV Index assigns a number to the next day's likely UV
radiation levels and categorizes the level of exposure risk for people
who plan to be outdoors.
The National Weather Service (NWS) calculates the UV Index so
that the public can schedule outdoor activities to avoid dangerous
overexposure to the sun. In addition to forecasts, you can find the
daily UV Index on the SunWise Web site at
The UV Index predicts UV radiation levels on a 0 to 10+ scale in the
following way:
While it is always important to take precautions against overexposure
to the sun, both children and adults should take particular care to
practice sun-safe behaviors when the UV Index is moderate or higher.
-------
Take Action
rotect yourself and your children from overexposure to
UV radiation. Taking the simple precautions listed
below can ensure you enjoy safe fun in the sun.
r'
V
The sun's UV rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and **}.
4 p.m. To the extent you can, limit exposure to sun during
those hours.
Always take precautions against
overexposure, but take special care to adopt sun safety
practices when the UV Index is moderate or higher.
Sunglasses that provide 99 to 100 percent
UVA and UVB protection will greatly reduce eye damage from
sun exposure.
A hat with a wide brim offers good sun protection
for your eyes, ears, face, and the back of your neck.
Staying under cover or indoors is one of the best
ways to protect yourself from the sun.
Apply a sunscreen with a sun protection
factor of 15 or higher liberally, and reapply at least every
t) 2 hours or after working, swimming, playing, or
J exercising outdoors. Consult your doctor about
'/ sunscreen use for children under 6 months.
The light
source from sunbeds and sunlamps can damage the
skin and unprotected eyes.
Wearing tightly-
woven, loose-fitting, and full-length
clothing is a good way to protect
your skin from harmful UV rays.
-------
EPA's SunWise School Program is an Environmental Monitoring for Public Access and Community Tracking (EMPACT) project.
------- |