Current Projects

NRG – Powered By Choice    

Pennsylvania Department of Health and Penn State

Funder: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention

A statewide coalition of more than 500 public, private, academic, professional, and volunteer groups working to promote policies and environments that support healthy eating and activity. 

NRG- Powered by Choice is an innovative campaign focused on media and activism targeted at the individual (youth aged 12-18 years) and interpersonal levels (youth organizations).  The campaign will be disseminated through established community mobilization framework systems at the institutional (school, recreation centers, YM/YWCA) and community levels (businesses/

worksites, community leaders, families/homes).  The campaign is a grassroots effort with “on the ground” materials that can be complimented by existing nutrition and activity programs and air campaigns.  For example, the Ad Council will launch media campaign focused on energy balance in 2007.

Schools and their representative student groups must select two of three activities to be eligible for mini-grants and/or recognition and rewards.

 

Activities

Own the Message. Student groups adopt an NRG message in at least 2 venues in the school environment (e.g., morning announcements, in school TV news/commercials, posters, etc.). Media must include and feature at least 5 student groups (e.g. student council, key club, varsity club, band) and 4 adults (administrators, teachers, food service, school nurse, etc.). Students report the number of media messages developed, reach, frequency, etc.  

Students logging onto the NRG campaign website are tracked by the school.

Plan and Event/ Fundraiser to Support Change. Student groups create a process for selecting a change that supports a new, healthy choice for nutrition or physical activity in the school environment. Activities must promote the NRG Campaign (logo, templates, etc.). Event cannot support sports, uniforms. The outcome and/or funds raised will result in the new change (e.g., nutrition fair to select new menu items, fundraiser for healthy vending machine, fundraiser for new PE equipment).

Lead /Support Enter the Zone Event for Elementary School Students.            Student groups work with elementary schools (include students in grades K-6) to plan and celebrate at least 1 PANA Enter the Zone Event.  Event plans should consider how a new activity or program will be sustained at the school (e.g. apple slices as a monthly snack sponsored by PTA, a School Walking Program, new posters in the cafeteria, etc).

 

The pilot phase of the NRG-Powered by Choice Project occurred during the 2007-2008 academic year. The primary focus of process evaluation efforts during the period was to describe what was delivered and by whom (dose), how well the activities were delivered (quality), and the circumstances that facilitated or impeded implementation (context). 

PACT

PACT is the overall umbrella of infant/child research being conducted in Harrisburg. The following has occurred via PACT:

Currently, 2 projects ongoing with 3 more awaiting approval.

  

Mother/Infant Emotion Study

Focus on how mothers and babies deal with everyday feelings and stress that come up as part of a normal day. Mothers with infants 4 ½ -6 months of age are being recruited for this project. Participation includes:

Participants receive $100 for participating in the study