---

News Release

Last modified: Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Saturday workshop features leading experts in children's health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 10, 2007

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Area elementary and preschool educators have the opportunity on Saturday to hear from nationally recognized children's health experts about how to make healthy messages and activities part of children's daily lives.

The Department of Applied Health Science in Indiana University Bloomington's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation is sponsoring the workshop, "Integrating health ideas into children's lives: Strategies for educators." It will be held in the Whittenberger Auditorium in the Indiana Memorial Union from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

"Educators don't have to wait for physical education class," said Cecilia Obeng, assistant professor in the Department of Applied Health Science. "Children can, under the supervision of their care-giver, get up in the classroom and walk around, and conduct cooperative work. Messages on health also can be integrated into mathematics, social science, reading and art so they become part of the children's lives."

The workshop is free. Food and materials will be provided. Attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions after each presentation. An alumnus of the department, Dr. Charlotte Hendricks, editor of the award-winning publication Healthy Childcare, will give the keynote address. Hendricks will discuss "Promoting mental and emotional health in young children."

The presenters include:

• Lloyd Kolbe, professor in the Department of Applied Health Science and program chair of the School and College Health Programs. He also is founder and former director of the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Adolescent and School Health. Kolbe will discuss "Child health in the United States and policies to improve it."
• David Lohrmann, associate professor in the Department of Applied Health Science and former president of the American School Health Association. He will discuss "Models in teaching health: Integrating health materials in the classroom."
• Shahla Ray, lecturer in the department and researcher in the Department of Kinesiology, will discuss "The importance of developing healthy lifestyles among preschool and elementary children."
• Jerry Wilkerson, executive associate dean of HPER, will give the opening remarks.
• Alice Lindeman, associate professor in the department. Lindeman, the assistant chair of the department, has expertise in nutrition and preventive health habits. She will give the closing remarks.

For more information, contact Obeng, the workshop convener, at 812-856-0502 and cobeng@indiana.edu.

---

---