Healthy Schools
Our Healthy Schools program is dedicated to ensuring our children have the opportunity to learn in healthy and sustainable spaces.
Everyone has a role to play in creating healthy, safe and sustainable learning environments for children.
Healthy Schools provides tools, guides and other resources to bridge communities with their schools and effectively create an advocacy network capable of bringing about social and policy change throughout the school system.
"WHE has worked hand-in-hand with our K-12 food service, and has helped us to inspire our students to make healthy choices not just an option, but a lifestyle!"
— Jessica Griggle —
Food Service Director, Plum Borough School District
Healthy School Recognition Program
The Healthy School Recognition Program honors schools that prioritize creating safe and sustainable learning environments.
Schools earn recognition by addressing key environmental health issues like air quality, lead, and radon, while promoting sustainability. Participants receive guidance and resources to enhance their efforts, ensuring healthier spaces for students and staff.
1,000 Hours a Year: Protecting Where Kids Learn
Children spend over 1,000 hours a year in schools and childcare.
We’re committed to ensuring these environments are safe and healthy by addressing hidden hazards like lead and radon. Enroll your school today to create safer, healthier spaces for all children.
Eco-Student Stewardship Club
Our Eco-Student Stewardship Program prepares high school students in Southwestern Pennsylvania to become environmental leaders.
Participants gain hands-on experience tackling climate change, improving air quality, and revitalizing communities. Through weekly sessions and community projects, students develop the skills to advocate for environmental justice and drive meaningful change in their schools and neighborhoods.
Environmental Hazard Map
The Environmental Hazards Map is essential for advancing environmental justice, as many of these hazards disproportionately affect marginalized communities.
Historically, schools in lower-income areas and communities of color face a greater burden of environmental risks, leading to disparities in health and education. By making this information accessible, the map helps highlight inequities and supports advocacy for healthier, more equitable learning environments for all children.
The map helps identify potential environmental risks around public schools in Southwestern Pennsylvania. It highlights air emission sources, gas wells, mining operations, and active rail lines within a one-mile radius of school buildings. Covering ten counties, this map provides crucial context for over 336,000 children attending 674 public schools.
Using data from the PA Department of Environmental Protection, the PAMAP program, and the Environmental Protection Agency, the map offers insights to help schools, families, and communities understand nearby environmental hazards. This ensures safer learning environments for all.
Professional Development Hub
A dedicated space for teachers and school staff committed to creating safe, healthy environments for students.
Our sessions offer practical strategies that you can apply in your school and often provide continuing education credits, recognizing your ongoing professional growth.
"Our childhood asthma group would like to thank you again for all your help with providing us with awesome resources and information so that we could create the best solution possible."
— Sommer S. and Katherine D. —
CMU Students
Healthy Schools Program Goals
- Serving as a central voice and hub for information across the region by engaging students, parents, community leaders and school district personnel.
- Increasing awareness in the school systems about environmental health factors.
- Providing samples of policies that directly correlate to improved health outcomes and academic performance.
- Developing a platform that connects organizations such as Parent-Teacher Associations, state agencies and non-government organizations to encourage collaboration.
State of the Schools Report
In order to gain a better understanding of environmental health hazards facing the more than 330,000 students enrolled in public school districts Women for a Healthy Environment embarked on an extensive information gathering mission.
"WHE has worked hand-in-hand with our K-12 food service, and has helped us to inspire our students to make healthy choices not just an option, but a lifestyle!"
— Jessica Griggle —
Food Service Director, Plum Borough School District
Healthy Schools Summit
The Healthy Schools Summit, held annually, brings together school stakeholders for an enriching and engaging co-learning opportunity to hear from industry experts, share lessons and community knowledge, collaborate on school health initiatives and take an active role in promoting green and healthy learning environments.
- How are school stakeholders coming together to realize our shared goal for green, safe and healthy schools for students and staff to return to?
- How are school leaders translating public health research into action to prevent the spread of COVID-19?
- What resources are available for our educators, nurses, parents, and students to respond to existing and emerging school health needs?
We just received our STEAM activity kits and I'm so blown away by the thought put into these and how they will help kids be able to think critically in the future... I love what you are doing and would like to be able to contribute in some way!
— Nicole Q. —
Parent
"The Healthy Schools Summit was a great event, You and your organization do such a great job. On Monday we will be sharing our success story with the school board. Thank you again for being the champion that you and the other women in your organization are to making the environment better for the future children of southwestern PA."
— Anonymous —
Facilities Director
"I just wanted to thank the both of you for the work you did this summer with Assemble. It was awesome having you join us as guests, and your expertise was really well received by the kids. I especially appreciated your ability to keep the activities and atmosphere fun while communicating interesting and relevant material!"
— Devon —
Teacher/Studio Coordinator at Assemble PGH