FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

NASPE to Honor CDC’S Division of Adolescent and School Health (DASH)

In recognition of the Division of Adolescent and School Health's (DASH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of Atlanta, GA, commitment to child health, physical activity, and quality school physical education programs, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) will honor DASH  with the Ross Merrick National Recognition Award at the national convention of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) in Tampa, FL. The presentation will be made at NASPE's Hall of Fame Banquet on Friday, April 3, where the National Physical Education Teachers of the Year for Elementary, Middle and High School, the National Physical Education Administrator of the Year as well as the Athletic Director of the Year Award will be announced. Olympic softball gold medalist Dot Richardson, M.D. will be inducted into the NASPE Hall of Fame.

According to NASPE President Fran Cleland of West Chester University of Pennsylvania, "The Ross Merrick National Recognition Award is given to an organization that has done exceptional work in supporting physical activity, physical education, or sport as it relates to NASPE's mission and has supported NASPE as an organization."

Past inductees of the National Recognition Award include the American Heart Association, Cooper Institute, Hershey Foods Corporation, Michigan State University's Youth Sports Institute, National Federation of State High School Associations, Polar Electro, President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Project Adventure, Reebok International, and the United States Olympic Committee.

In 1988, CDC established the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion within which it created the Division of Adolescent and School Health (commonly referred to as "DASH"). The mission of DASH is to:

• identify the highest priority health risks among youth

• monitor the incidence and prevalence of those risks

• implement national programs to prevent risks, and

• evaluate and improve those programs.

"Our children are our future," said NASPE Executive Director Charlene Burgeson. "That is why DASH is leading the way in helping schools implement policies and practices that prevent health risks among children and adolescents. DASH leaders, scientists, and program staff understand that establishing healthy behaviors during childhood is easier and more effective than trying to change unhealthy behaviors during adulthood – and they want others to understand that too."

As such, DASH is home to the highly-effective coordinated school health program model which helps teachers, school administrators, policy makers, and the public understand that schools have a critical role to play in promoting the health and safety of young people and helping them establish lifelong healthy behavior patterns. Through DASH funding of state and local education and health agencies and national non-government organizations (such as NASPE), a loud chorus of voices continually send the message that:

• Each school day is an opportunity for the nation's 55 million students to learn about health and practice the skills that promote healthy behaviors.
• The nation's 125,000 schools provide many opportunities for students to practice healthy behaviors such as eating healthy foods and participating in physical activity.

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Contact:
Paula Keyes Kun
pkun@aahperd.org
(703) 476-3461

The preeminent national authority on physical education and a recognized leader in sport and physical activity, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) is a non-profit professional membership association that sets the standard for practice in physical education and sport. NASPE’s 15,000 members include: K-12 physical education teachers, coaches, administrators, researchers, and college/university faculty who prepare professionals in these areas. NASPE seeks to enhance knowledge, improve professional practice, and increase support for high-quality physical education, sport and physical activity programs. It is the largest of the five national associations that make up the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation & Dance (AAHPERD). For more information, visit www.naspeinfo.org.

AAHPERD, an alliance of five national associations, six district associations, and a Research Consortium, provides its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support, and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. It is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, recreation, fitness, dance, health promotion and all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. AAHPERD serves 20,000 members and has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington DC. To learn more, visit www.aahperd.org.