s^>>-
                                                                An Update on EPA's SunWise Program
      he SHADE Foundation and EPA
      are proud to announce the 2007
      SunWise® with SHADE® National
Poster Contest. This year, the contest
will run nationwide from January 1
through May 1, 2007, in all 50 states
and U.S. territories. Over the past four
years, more than 40,000 students have
submitted posters. Prizes from the
SHADE Foundation include:
• State Winners
  $250 savings bond, plus a $500
  SHADE grant for the school (some
  states might have additional prizes)
• Regional Winners
  $500 savings bond, and a $2,500
  SHADE grant for the school
• National Winner
  A trip for four to Disney World (or
  something comparable), and a $5,000
  SHADE grant for the school
All state winners will be entered into
regional and national contests. Previous
regional and state prizes have included
a trip to Fenway Park in Boston,
Massachusetts, to throw out the first
pitch of the game, and a
trip to Bristol Motor
Speedway in Bristol,
Tennessee, to start the
race.
Poster submissions should
be original and creative
and incorporate SunWise
Action Steps to prevent
skin cancer and raise sun
safety awareness.
Examples of prevention
and awareness tips pre-
sented on the posters in
the past include:
• Using sunscreen.
• Wearing a wide-brimmed hat and
 sunglasses.
• Seeking shade when the sun's ultra-
 violet (UV) radiation is most intense,
 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
• Covering up with full-length clothing
 to protect one's skin.
• Checking the UV Index.
Past poster contest winners at Fenway Park in Boston.
           To find out more about this year's contest
           and to download an official poster guide,
           visit the SHADE Foundation's Web site at
           .
                                 U
   arlier this year, SunWise unveiled its
   new logo. You can see the logo in new
   documents and on the SunWise Web
site at . Also of
interest, SunWise has trademarked the
term "SunWise" and its logo.
  a program that radiates good ideas
  A Partnership Program of tfw U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
         www.epa.gov/sunwise
             HIGHLIGHTS

             The Truth Behind Vitamin D	2
             Sun Safety Legislation for States	3
             SunWise Reaches Out to Cities
             and Counties	4
             SunWise Spotlight: Field Day Sports a
             SunWise Message	5
             McWane Center Promotes SunWise....6
             Wyoming Launches Sun Safe Schools
             of Distinction Program 	7

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    SunWise Monitor
Tke   7>i/tk
      t a recent conference, experts
      presented some interesting find-
     »'„ ings on the relationship between
vitamin D  and sun exposure. The con-
ference—the first ever North American
Conference on UV, Vitamin D, and
Health—held in March 2006, brought
together researchers, clinicians, and
public health professionals to discuss
the health  effects of vitamin D. Key
findings from the conference include:
•  There is strong evidence that UV
   exposure from  the sun and other
   sources is harmful and may con-
   tribute  to health problems such as
   skin cancer, melanoma, and some
   cataracts.
•  Experts believe that adequate vitamin
   D is beneficial to musculoskeletal
   health and can help prevent fractures
   in the elderly. There is also a grow-
   ing body of evidence that vitamin D
   might have a positive effect on some
   types of cancer—in particular, col-
   orectal  cancer.  Experts are con-
   cerned  that levels of vitamin D might
   be too low in the general population
   to achieve these health benefits.
•  Vitamin D is obtained through skin
   exposure to UVB radiation, and also
   through diet (particularly fortified
                                      foods) and supplementation. To
                                      minimize the health risks associated
                                      with UVB exposure, while maximiz-
                                      ing the potential benefits of opti-
                                      mum levels of vitamin D, supple-
                                      mentation and small amounts of
                                      sun exposure are the preferred
                                      methods of obtaining vita-
                                      min D.
                                   •  Groups at risk  of not
                                      obtaining adequate
                                      amounts of vitamin D
                                      include:
                                      -  The elderly.
                                      -  Exclusively breast-fed babies.
                                      -  Individuals with dark skin pig-
                                         mentation.
                                      -  Individuals with limited  skin
                                         exposure to the sun (e.g., house-
                                         bound individuals or those who
                                         wear clothing covering most of the
                                         skin for cultural/religious reasons).
                                      -  Those living above 37° latitude
                                         during the winter (Canada and
                                         northern United States).
                                   If you are concerned that you might be
                                   deficient in vitamin D, discuss supple-
                                   mentation with your health care practi-
                                   tioner.  Current recommendations of
200 lU/day up to age 50, 400 IU for
ages 50 to 70, and 600 IU for those
over age 70, are now considered too
low for optimal health by many experts.
The most appropriate supplementation
level is likely to be some quantity above
these recommendations but below the
safe upper level of 2,000 lU/day for
adults. More research is needed to
determine the optimal amount of vita-
min D supplementation required to pre-
vent health problems.
SunWise would like to reemphasize that
before changing your vitamin D intake,
you should consult your physician.
A
                                Hat  TVick
   In July 2006, the SunWise Program received its third Gold Triangle
   Award from the American Academy of Dermatology (the Academy). The
   award was presented in recognition of the programs new UV Alert, a
   joint venture between EPA and the National Weather Service that pro-
   vides guidance for locations around the country that are expected to
   experience well above normal UV radiation levels on a given day.
   The Gold Triangle Award recognizes media, industry, the health commu-
   nity, and individuals who further the understanding of dermatological
   issues and encourage healthy behavior in skin care. At the  10th annual
   awards ceremony, held in San Diego, California, President Bush sent
   greetings and congratulated the honorees, and actors Robert Wagner and
   Jill St. John (in photo at right) emceed the event. To celebrate the 10-year
   anniversary of the awards ceremony, the Academy highlighted EPAs UV
   Index and the growth of the SunWise Program.
                                                                    Linda Rutsch of EPA (center) accepts the Gold
                                                                    Triangle Award on behalf of the SunWise Program.

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                                                                                               SunWise Monitor
           fafety
for   ftatef
     ne way to increase sun safety aware-
     ness is by passing legislation, and
     recently two states did just that. In
April 2005, Arizona became the first
state in the nation to mandate that
SunWise be taught in all K-8 public
schools. As a result, more than  75 per-
cent of schools in Arizona are registered
as SunWise partners. The text of the law
reads:
"All public schools shall incorporate
instruction into the existing curricula in
the common school grades on skin can-
cer prevention if the United States
Environmental Protection Agency fur-
nishes  a comprehensive program on the
                                 prevention of skin cancer free of charge
                                 to schools. The instruction shall be pro-
                                 vided in an age appropriate manner and
                                 shall include the following components:
                                 1.  The basic facts about skin cancer,
                                     including the negative impact of
                                     human exposure to ultraviolet radia-
                                     tion obtained through sunburns and
                                     tanning.
                                 2.  A comprehensive set of strategies and
                                     behaviors to reduce the risk of con-
                                     tracting skin cancer."
                                  In addition, in January 2006, the Utah
                                 legislature passed a resolution encourag-
                                 ing Utah schools to educate children
                                 about the risks of sun exposure. This
                                 nonbinding resolution was sent to all
                                 schools in the state and lists statistics
                                 about skin cancer and resources for edu-
                                 cating children. SunWise is listed as one
                                 of the four resources available to schools.
                                 In Utah, more than 30 percent of all K-8
                                 schools are registered as SunWise
                                 schools.
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        cancer"
cancer?
As I soon learned, it was a gradual process. I
have very fair skin to begin with, making me
especially susceptible to sun damage. But in all
likelihood the story of my melanoma really
began when I was 17 years old and wanted to
look good in a white dress at my prom. I
thought I'd look better if I just got a little color,
so I paid a few visits to the local tanning salon.
I liked the results so much that I went back—
again and again over the next three years, work-
ing up to a routine of 4 to 5 tanning bed ses-
sions for 2.0 to 25 minutes each week.
The truth is, I had no idea how bad it was for
me. I was told that getting a "base tan" was
healthier because it allowed one to prevent sun-
burns and tan safely. I thought that I looked
' 9
healthier and prettier with darker skin. 1 wish
 I now could go back and prevent what had
 happened, but because 1 can't, I have made it
 my mission to help others do just that.
 After 18 months filled with repeat surgeries and
 more doctor visits than 1 can count, I finally
  have a clean bill of health. Since becoming Miss
  Maryland, I have dedicated myself to spreading
  the word about skin cancer—how serious it real-
  ly is, how to prevent it, and the importance of
  regular screenings. I have had the opportunity to
  travel with the Skin Cancer Foundation on its
  national skin cancer screening tours, as well as
  work with the American Academy of Dermatology
   the Joanna Nicolay Melanoma Foundation, and
   the National Foundation for Cancer Research to
   get this message out. I am also an active member
   of the Maryland State Coalition for Skin Cancer
   Prevention. I travel to schools and programs
   around the state to speak of my personal experi-
    ence with the disease and hope that it will help
    others to see what they can do to prevent my
    obstacles in their own lives.
                                         obstacles in their own uves.
                                         Through my experience I feel driven to spread
                                         awareness about the real risks of skin cancer and
                                         teach those young and old alike to make healthy
                                         choices for the future. I didn't have to tan, I chose
                                         to and it nearly cost me my life. Take a stance
                                         against the pressure and the sun and be proud to
                                          go NATURAL!
                                                                   Dream BIG!
                                                                   Brittany Lietz
                                                              Miss Maryland 2006
Update:  "Mate
    *  fafety
Kick;  Off
    After a short break, SunWise is
    again working with Major
League Soccer (MLS), the U.S.
Soccer Foundation (USSF), and
the American Academy of
Dermatology (the Academy) to
bring sun safety back to the sport
of soccer.  In 2006, EPA produced
public service announcement
(PSA) posters for five teams— DC
United, FC Dallas, Houston
Dynamo, Columbus Crew, and
Real Salt Lake— highlighting the
simple action steps people can
take to prevent skin cancer,
cataracts,  and other negative
health effects from overexposure
to the sun.
In addition to the posters, the
Academy  provided cleat bags
containing sun safety information
to the first  2,000 fans at 10
games. EPA is grateful for the
opportunity to support the cam-
paign and is looking forward to
another productive campaign in
2007.  For more information and
to see copies of all five  PSAs, visit
 .

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    SunWise Monitor
                     Reackef   0*t  to
Citie;   a*«sl
      new SunWise initiative seeks to
      reach even more people with sun
      safety messages. The initiative—
SunWise Cities/Communities—is a pilot
program that coordinates and promotes
the use of SunWise educational activi-
ties in school classrooms, informal edu-
cation venues such as science and chil-
dren's museums, and other community-
based organizations. The idea is to rein-
force sun safety messages throughout
the community—not just in K-8 class-
rooms—to get people to change their
behavior when it comes to  protecting
themselves from the harmful health
effects of UV exposure.
SunWise Cities - Houston, TX
On August 3, 2005, SunWise joined
Houston Mayor Bill White  at the John E
McGovern Museum of Health &
Medical Science in Houston, Texas, to
launch the first SunWise community-
wide initiative—SunWise Cities. The
program is working to teach children
simple steps that will reduce their life-
time risk of skin cancer. To become a
SunWise City, Houston agreed to the
following criteria:
• Encourage residents to practice EPAs
  SunWise Action Steps when partici-
  pating in outdoor activities.
• Endorse SunWise programs within
  schools and informal education pro-
  grams, including city parks and recre-
  ation, after-school programs, summer
  camps, and children's science centers.
• Develop a sun safety policy for city
  outdoor workers that includes the
  SunWise Action Steps.
• Fromote SunWise Action Steps at all
  city-sponsored events and venues.
SunWise Communities - King
County, WA
SunWise Communities—officially
launched in May 2006—builds on the
successful SunWise  Cities pilot effort
launched in Houston in 2005. King
County, Washington, was the first
county to officially become SunWise.
On behalf of King County, Executive
Ron Sims:
• Proclaimed May 1 a SunWise Day by
 encouraging King County residents
 to practice EPAs SunWise Action
 Steps when participating in outdoor
 activities.
• Sent a letter to all King County
 schools  encouraging staff and students
 to use the free SunWise Tool Kit,
 which provides a fun and easy-to-use
 sun safety and ozone science curricu-
 lum.
• Created a "SunWise Zone" at a local
 school to kick off SunWise
 Communities in Seattle and to
 encourage the student body to be
 burn-free during the summer.
SunWise Communities in action at a King
County, Washington, school.
One King County school—Elaine
Middle School—pledged to be SunWise
during the spring and summer of 2006.
After following up with the school, EPA
found that students who took the
pledge were more likely to practice sun
safety during summer 2006 than their
peers who did not take the pledge.
                Educate   Kiel;   on  S«*   fafety
       new set of videos is available to
       make learning about sun safety
       fun and interesting. As enter-
 taining as they are informational, The
 Sun Show videos are ideal for elemen-
 tary school classrooms.  Students will
 identify with The Sun Show's hosts and
 field reporters—children themselves—
 in this pair of videos that simulate two
 episodes of a live television morning
 show.  In a variety of attention-grab-
 bing short segments, the news team
 uncovers the darker side of sunlight
 and reveals simple strategies for pro-
 tecting one's skin from dangerous UV
 rays. Punctuated by clever surprises,
 some hilarious animation, an original
 score, and hit song clips, viewers will
 find these sun safety lessons very
 enjoyable.
 To ensure accuracy, Jeff Ashley,  M.D., a
 dermatologist, and Andrew Manthe,
 MPH, CHES, chief of the Skin Cancer
 Prevention Program, co-produced the
 videos with a panel of consultants that
 included several educators and EPAs
 very own Linda Rutsch, director of
 SunWise.
 Accommodating both the  lower and
 upper elementary levels, two versions
 are offered: The Sun Show — Ages 6-8
 and The Sun Show — Ages 9-11, each
 including a teacher's guide. For addi-
 tional detail and to view trailers, visit
 .

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                                                                                              SunWise Monitor
     aren Delgado and her 7th grade
     health class at Union Township
     School in Hampton, New Jersey,
undertook an effort to keep people
SunWise at the school's annual field day.
The physical education teachers had
been asked to set up a  field day for
grades 1  through 8, and the superinten-
dent wanted it to be an all-day affair
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the direct
sun!!  Karen communicated her sun
safety concerns to the superintendent,
the school nurse, physical education
teachers, and the principal. To address
the concerns, the school nurse sent a
note out  to the students' parents
informing them about the health effects
of overexposure to UV, and the school
was able  to institute sun safety meas-
ures, including setting up a "tent" for
the nurse's station to keep people in the
shade.
"It was amazing to me to find out how
many adults are unaware of this health
issue. I put information in all the teach-
ers' mailboxes as well. We were success-
ful in getting the students to wear sun-
screen, hats, and sunglasses. It ended up
being a partially cloudy day, which in a
way was worse—except for the 7th
graders who KNEW the dangers! The
adults kept saying, 'See, you were wor-
ried for nothing!' I don't know
how many times I repeated that
heat and UV light are two different
issues, and that UV is present even
on cooler, cloudy days! The neat
thing is that I had the UV Frisbee
with me. The 7th graders kept
checking it...and it is impressive to
see it change when, to us, it looks
as if there is 'no' sun shining," said
Karen.
In addition to the success at the field
day, Karen's classes gave presentations to
a few of the younger grades. For the 1st
grade, the students presented a song
incorporating "slip,  slop, slap, and
wrap," and made the sunglasses that are
in the SunWise Tool Kit. Each partici-
pant received a certificate of
SunWisdom.
For the 4th graders, some of Karen's
students presented a skit, showed a
PowerPoint presentation, and per-
formed a song. Some students even
made up their own puzzles based on
the SunWise  vocabulary and distributed
them to the 4th graders.
The class also distributed sun safety
information to each class in the
younger grades and enclosed a
SunWise pencil and UV-sensitive
 bracelet from the Women's
 Dermatologic Society (see box below)
 to the youngest ones before field day,
 so the teachers could use it on that day.
 The program has been a huge success.
 "I was handed the job of teaching
 health this year, in addition to 7th
 grade science," Karen said. "The
 SunWise Tool Kit has saved me! I was
 trying to plan how we could end the
 year with summer safety. I usually do
 some solar energy and other alternative
 energy sources learning/teaching at the
 end of the year in science class, so this
 is a perfect integration!"
            • more information:
            Karen Delgado
         Jmon lownsnip bcnoc
          165 Perryville Road
          Hampton, NJ 08827
                                                                     fafety
A       program sponsored by the
       Women's Dermatologic Society
   (WDS) is helping to promote sun safety
   to communities around  the country.
   WDS's "Families Play Safe in the
   Sun" —a broad-based national cam-
   paign made possible through a gener-
   ous grant from  the 3M  Foundation-
   includes a wide range  of educational
   and outreach programs in 15 commu-
   nities across the United States. The
   program offers free skin cancer screen-
   ings, educational materials, and
   dynamic sun protection activities
geared towards the needs and inter-
ests of different communities. Led by
WDS member dermatologists, the
campaign is designed to help spread
the message of skin cancer prevention
and proper skin health. SunWise pro-
vides materials  to WDS for the "Adopt-
a-School" component of these events
and sends materials to teachers who
want to learn more about sun safety.
For more information about Families Play
Safe in the Sun, visit the program's Web
site at .
Linda Rutsch of EPA at a "Families Play
Safe in the Sun" event.

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    SunWise Monitor
                       Center   Promote;
    or the past three years Jan
    Mattingly, vice president of educa-
    tion, and the staff at the Me Wane
Science  Center in Birmingham,
Alabama, have been busy promoting
SunWise in numerous arenas. The cen-
ter has featured SunWise prominently
in its annual "A Clean Air Affair"—a
community activity that educates the
public on ways to reduce ozone and
promote environmentally sound prac-
tices and sun safety
The science center has also conducted
more than 10 SunWise workshops,
where it has trained countless educators
on how  to implement SunWise  in their
schools. In addition, Jan and her direc-
tor of science education and school rela-
tions, Rachel Pace, presented informa-
tion about SunWise at the Alabama
Science Teachers Association Conference
held at the center last year and will do
so again this year. More than 700 ele-
mentary, middle, and high school teach-
ers attend this conference.
The center holds an annual Teacher
Appreciation Day, and this year, it dis-
tributed SunWise Tool Kits to teachers
who attended. Finally, Jan has presented
with SunWise at the Association of
Science-Technology Centers (ASTC)
Conference for the past  two years. ASTC
is an organization of science centers and
museums dedicated to furthering the
public understanding of science among
increasingly diverse audiences. ASTC
encourages excellence and innovation in
informal science learning by serving and
linking its members worldwide and
advancing their common goals.
Clearly Jan has been busy. SunWise staff
would like to thank Jan, Rachel, and the
McWane Science Center for their stead-
Jan Mattingly from the McWane Science
Center presents a SunWise message.

fast support of the program. We look
forward to working with the center to
promote SunWise in the future.
 CDC
  n 2006, the Centers for Disease
  Control and Prevention (CDC)
  released a new document that serves
as a supporting piece to the Guidelines
for School Programs to Prevent Skin
Cancer, published in 2002. The docu-
ment, Shade Planning for America's
Schools, explains the dangers of UV
radiation, the easy steps to prevent
overexposure to UV, and how to use
shade to decrease UV exposure. It pro-
vides shade planning information, tools
for conducting a formal shade audit,
and case studies from previous success
stories. The SunWise Programs collabo-
ration with the SHADE Foundation is
highlighted on pages 31 to 33 of the
CDC document. To download a copy,
visit the new "SunWise Resources for
Educators" Web page at

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                                                                                           SunWise Monitor
                      f  D
  n summer 2006, the Wyoming
  Department of Health launched a new
  voluntary program for Wyoming
schools. The Wyoming Sun Safe Schools
of Distinction Program was formed in an
attempt to raise awareness and enhance
school policies regarding sun safety.
Modeled after the highly successful
Tobacco-Free Schools Program in the
state, a school must meet a variety of sun
safety criteria to earn the Sun Safe School
of Distinction award. Schools that meet
the criteria will receive a plaque from the
state, a mention in the news,  and recog-
nition on Wyoming's Comprehensive
Cancer Control Consortium Web site.
Once every school within a district has
signed on, the school district  will be hon-
ored and receive a district award as well.
To earn the award, schools must:
1.  Include skin cancer and sun protec-
   tion education in school  curricula
   (SunWise is one program that meets
   this criterion).
2.  Promote  outdoor measures to
   decrease  UV exposure, such as wear-
   ing hats,  sunglasses, and  protective
   clothing while outdoors;  bringing
   and wearing sunscreen at school;
                                   Promoting sun
                                   safety in
                                   Wyoming.
               and seeking shade during peak
               hours of sun exposure.
            3.  Participate in the ongoing evaluation
               of policy development, program
               implementation, and program out-
               comes through the Wyoming Sun
               Safety Survey.
            In addition to the above criteria, the
            program also encourages schools to pro-
            mote sun safety among the staff and the
            community at large.
            For more information on Wyoming's
            program, please contact Kimberly
            Rogers at the Wyoming Department of
            Health at (307) 777-8609 or
            .
                                                     Mat
                                                     Have  To  0o  Witk
                                                     Cancer
  In 2005, SunWise developed a
  I tool called EnviroFlash UV, which
  sends subscribers an e-mail con-
  taining the daily UV Index forecast
  for their city or ZIP Code. You can
  also subscribe to receive e-mails
  only on days when there is a UV
  Alert for your area. The UV Alert
  lets you know when UV intensity in
  your city or town will be unseason-
  ably  high.  E-mails are sent out in
  the early evening so you will have
  plenty of time to prepare for your
  next day's activities. It's easy to
  subscribe and unsubscribe, so if
  you'll be traveling for a few days,
  and you will  have access to your
  e-mail, you can  receive the local
  UV Index wherever you are, or you
  can just check the daily forecast on
  the UV Index home page.  For
  more information, visit
  .
Congressional spouses Lisa McGovern
(left) and Stephene Moore (right) at
the 2006 Kansas School Nurse
Conference.

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   SunWise Monitor
                                                                                  1007
   March 13-1 7, 2007: American Alliance for Health, Physical
   Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) Annual
   Conference, Baltimore, MD
   March 29-April  1, 2007: National Science Teachers
   Association (NSTA) National Conference, St. Louis, MO
   April  10-13, 2007: National Catholic Education Association
   (NCEA), Baltimore, MD
   May 4-6, 2007: New England School Nurse Conference
   (NESNC), Portsmouth, NH
   June 21-27,  2007: American Library Association (ALA) Annual
   Conference, Washington, DC
   June 25-27,  2007: National Association of Health Education
   Centers (NAHEC) Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA
June 28-July 1, 2007: National Association of School Nurses
(NASN) Annual Conference, Nashville, TN
June 30-July 2, 2007: National Education Association (NEA)
National Conference, Philadelphia, PA
July 12-15, 2007: American Federation of Teachers (AFT)
QuEST Conference, Washington, DC
October 11-13, 2007: National Council of Teachers in
Mathematics (NCTM) Regional Conference, Richmond, VA
October 18-20, 2007: NSTA Regional Conference, Detroit, Ml
November 8-10, 2007: National Middle School Association
(NMSA), Houston, TX
December 6-8, 2007: NSTA Regional Conference,
Birmingham, AL
                                                     tke  Pate
                        September 16, 2007, is International Ozone Day and also marks
                          the 20th Anniversary of the Signing  of the Montreal Protocol.
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