Got Health? The Hawaii Partnership for Standards-Based School Health Education

The American Cancer Society (ACS), Hawaii Pacific, Inc., initiated the Hawaii Partnership for Standards-Based School Health Education in July 1999. The goal of the partnership is to implement standards-based school health education to promote child and adolescent health in Hawaii. The partnership includes representatives from the Hawaii Department of Education, the Hawaii Board of Education, the Hawaii Department of Health, the University of Hawaii College of Education, Meadow Gold Dairies, the Hawaiian Electric Companies, the Hawaii Medical Services Association, and local divisions of the American Cancer Society. During its first year, the partnership collaborated to sponsor 15 teacher workshops on the new Hawaii Health Content Standards. In addition, Meadow Gold Dairies initiated a Got Health? milk carton side-panel promotional campaign to publicize the standards. This article describes development of the Hawaii Health Content Standards, history of the partnership, activities to date, concurrent supporting efforts, future plans, and lessons learned during the first year.