276,400 students from 336 public schools to have access
to the leading online health curriculum

NASHVILLE, TN  ' Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, in partnership with HealthTeacher, announced today that 16,400 teachers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area will have access to HealthTeacher's comprehensive K-12 on-line health education curriculum with the goal of improving the health literacy of students in participating schools.

The partnership with HealthTeacher supports Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota's mission to improve the health and quality of life of the members of their community by promoting the health literacy of over 276,400 local students. Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota is underwriting the HealthTeacher curriculum and teacher training for participating schools for three years as part of its efforts to improve the health of children and teens in Minneapolis-St. Paul.

"We are proud to be able to offer this health curriculum to schools in Minnesota to help educate children and families," said Alan L. Goldbloom, M.D., president and CEO of Children's of Minnesota. "If we can help teach kids about healthy lifestyles, the decisions they make can have a positive influence on not only their lives, but on their friends and family members as well."

Many high-risk health behaviors often are established during childhood and adolescence, which extend into adulthood. These behaviors can be addressed and prevented with proper education. According to the Minnesota Student Survey, Minnesota students are participating more and more in alcohol abuse than other substances, only half are participating in recommended physical activity, and even fewer report eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables a day.

"Minneapolis Public Schools was in the midst of seeking a new health education curriculum, when we were asked to partner with Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Immediately, we were intrigued by the possibilities of a web-based, online health education curriculum," said Jan Braaten, Health and Physical Education Lead for Minneapolis Public Schools. "HealthTeacher is a perfect match for our needs. We wanted to move beyond textbooks, which are outdated soon after they are published, and enter 21st century learning, where information is current and up-to-date. HealthTeacher has given us this and much
more! We are so grateful to Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota for making this happen for our students."

According to a 2009 report by Trust for America's Youth and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America 2009, 25.3% of children ages 10 ' 17 in Minnesota are considered overweight or obese. The study finds that in 30 states, the childhood obesity rate is reaching epidemic proportions with 30% of children being overweight.

Other study's show that it's not just the prevalence of childhood obesity in Minnesota that
should be a concern:

     • 24.1% of 12th graders reported driving motor vehicles after using alcohol or other drugs.

     • 50 % of sixth and ninth graders reported participating in physical activity for 30 minutes a day at least five days a week, while twelfth graders reported at 41.4%, which is an increase from 2004.

     •19.9% of sixth graders reported eating the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables a day, while ninth graders reported 18.4% and twelfth graders only 16.4%.

The HealthTeacher curriculum covers 10 key topic areas designed to help students develop knowledge and skills needed to pursue healthy lifestyles throughout their lives. Designed for K- 12 teachers and students, HealthTeacher's curriculum and resources are provided to school districts in Hennepin and Ramsey County. The HealthTeacher curriculum is aligned with the National Health Education Standards and Minnesota Standards for Health Enhancement that requires instruction in five key areas:

     •Health

     •Nutrition

     • Mental health

     • Injury prevention

     •Tobacco, alcohol and drug use

For more information, please visit www.healthteacher.com/minnesota

About Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota
Serving as Minnesota's children's hospitalSM since 1924, Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota provide 332 staffed beds at two hospital campuses in St. Paul and Minneapolis. An independent, not-for-profit health care system, Children's provides care through over 14,000 inpatient visits and more than 200,000 emergency room and other outpatient visits each year. Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota's mission is to champion the special health needs of children and their families. They are committed to improving children's health by providing high-quality, family-centered pediatric services. We advance these efforts through research and education.