 |
| Team Connecticut |
Marketing a coordinated approach to school health is an important component of Connecticut’s overall Coordinated School Health work plan. By increasing awareness and engaging school districts in adopting a coordinated approach to school health, we increase the overall sustainability of our efforts. The Coordinated School Health Management Team engaged a marketing focus group in the development of a new logo. The consensus of the group found that our success is found in the healthy connections that we make at both the state and local level. As a result, the Healthy ConneCTions logo and branding was developed. This logo/branding became the theme for our newly designed Web site, marketing materials, fact sheets, certificates, banners and PowerPoint templates – all of which are available to school districts to use as they adopt and promote a coordinated approach to school health.
Healthy ConneCTions bring together partners, at the local and state level, to join forces and ensure that Connecticut’s children and adolescents are healthy, learning and succeeding in life. We have to make Health ConneCTions every day – where we Live, Learn, Work and Play! Healthy ConneCTions now includes a statewide interagency workgroup, a network of exemplary school and community efforts, a new Web site and a monthly e-Bulletin. A great example of Healthy Connections in action is Connecticut’s Annual Physical Activity and Nutrition Symposium. This statewide conference is an outcome of collaborative efforts between Connecticut’s Coordinated School Health Team, Communities Putting Prevention to Work, Pioneering Healthier Communities, ACHIEVE and the Statewide Alliance of YMCAs. All entities are working at both the community and state levels to improve policies, systems and environmental change to ensure our young people are eating healthier and are physically active. Through the power of Healthy ConneCTions (staff time and skills, available funding, stakeholder reach, access to speakers, etc.), a dynamic, wide-reaching and successful event was held.
Donna Heins
donna.heins@ct.gov
www.ct.gov\sde\healthyconnections
