FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Ann Bailey Berry, WVU Extension Communications
Phone: (304) 293-4221, ext. 3416; e-mail: Ann.Berry@mail.wvu.edu
To be archived (4-H) after 3/30/07
A $4,940 award from the American Dental Association Foundation’s (ADAF) Samuel Harris Fund will help West Virginia University Extension Service strengthen its efforts to improve children’s dental health throughout West Virginia.
The grant was awarded to WVU Extension’s West Virginia 4-H Health Initiative. The four H’s represent fourfold development: Head, Heart, Hands and Health.
“The West Virginia 4-H Health Initiative aims to increase the knowledge of oral health and motivate youths and their families to improve key everyday behaviors,” said Elaine Bowen, WVU Extension specialist who is leading the project. “The 4-H project builds youth leadership and integrates dental education into an existing community network.”
Approximately 1,000 members trained to be “4-H Health Officers” are engaging 18,000 4-H community club participants in the project’s activities.
During 2007, the health officers will highlight the Health H through interactive games, challenges and discovery activities. Project materials encourage 4-H members’ families to join their youths in health activities at home.
Through an Extension office in each county, the WVU Extension Service makes a variety of 4-H opportunities available to youths throughout the state. Every year, more than 56,000 youths participate in club, camp and other educational programs that build their skills, involve them in a safe caring community, strengthen their independence and help them experience community service and citizenship.
“We are very pleased to have been selected from the hundreds of worthy applicants to receive funding from the ADAF’s Samuel Harris Fund,” Bowen said. “We look forward to applying these funds to our program to help improve the dental health of children in our communities. In addition, we are working collaboratively with the WVU Health Sciences, the WV Bureau for Public Health and others to maximize resources.”
Established by the ADAF to prevent childhood tooth decay, the Harris Fund is a permanent endowment and receives support from the Colgate-Palmolive Co. Each year, grants up to $5,000 go to educational and preventative programs, seeking to improve children’s dental health. This year, 73 programs received funding nationally out of more than 440 submitted applications, totaling $325,000.
More information about 4-H and other WVU Extension Service opportunities is available on the Web, www.ext.wvu.edu.
eb/fsm/2/27/07
Last modified
February 27, 2007
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