Media Coverage
Reports about local program successes
Through education, communications, grants and programming, Highmark Healthy High 5 is endeavoring to foster a generation of children and adolescents who lead longer, healthier lives.
The articles below are just a sampling of the media that have reported on Highmark Healthy High 5 programs and their successes.
North School News: Eden Christian Academy
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
January 21, 2010
Eden Christian Academy, with campuses in Ross, Franklin Park and Pine, has received a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of $9,678 to implement the Kick Start My Heart Program to help students enhance their cardiovascular fitness.
Paynter teachers volunteer for fundraiser based on 'Dancing with the Stars' to benefit Highmark Caring Place
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
January 22, 2010
Watching her favorite TV show will never be quite the same for Paynter Elementary School Principal Darlene DeFilippo. "I have a new appreciation for the preparation it takes for [the hit ABC series] 'Dancing with the Stars,' " she said. On Jan. 30, she and five Paynter teachers will be partnered with four dancers from Pittsburgh's swing dance community and a teacher from Whitehall Elementary School for "Dancing with the Teachers," and proceeds will benefit the Highmark Caring Place for grieving children and their families located in downtown Pittsburgh.
Helping grieving kids 
Carlisle Sentinel (Reprinted with permission.)
December 21, 2009
Hartmann and her two sons had gone to one-on-one sessions and even a suicide support group, but it didn’t seem to make a difference. It wasn’t until a year and a half after her husband’s death that Hartmann decided to contact the Highmark Caring Place.
KidShape program helps families learn to make healthy choices
The Patriot-News
January 17, 2010
The Bolgers found help from KidShape, a program at PinnacleHealth System in Harrisburg aimed at promoting healthy food choices and active lifestyles for children and their families. Part of Highmark’s Healthy High 5 initiative, KidShape uses interactive games, physical activities, cooking demonstrations and discussions about food choices and behaviors to help families uncover unhealthy food habits and adopt a healthier lifestyle. During the sessions, both children and parents exercise with a trainer. Separately, parents hear information from nutritionists and other health professionals while children learn about self-esteem and healthy living.
Obesity rates plateau in U.S.
Pittsburgh Post Gazette (Associated Press)
January 14, 2010
The nation's obesity rate appears to have stalled. But the latest numbers still show that more than two-thirds of adults and almost a third of children are overweight, with no sign of improvement.
Helping grieving kids: The Highmark Caring Place helps kids facing loss cope during the holidays
The Sentinel (Carlisle, PA)
December 21, 2009
One of the hardest things Amy Hartmann faced the first Christmas without her husband was having to send out the Christmas cards. “I had the hardest time signing those cards,” said the South Middleton Township resident. “In the end, I just didn’t send them out.”
Mercy Center names honorees
Erie Times-News
Here we are in a brand new year, a turn-of-the-decade year, with reports on people, places and pleasures: a dynamic dozen group of women who are making a difference in the community, a bright, young appointee to the Annapolis Naval Academy, and a 1969 McDowell alumna — a transplant in Florida — with a second novel in print. The honorees were selected by MCW's development committee. The center's board of trustees gave the final approval. Included is Therese Vorscheck, a licensed psychologist, director of Highmark Caring Place in Erie. She and a colleague volunteered to develop and facilitate the first mentor training programs at Mercy Center for Women.
STEEL VALLEY: Fitness grants awarded
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
December 18, 2009
The school district recently received grants for fitness equipment at the middle school and for bullying prevention programs at the elementary level.
A Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge Grant for $9,619 will allow the district to buy Dance Dance Revolution and Wii Fit systems to use during physical education classes at the middle school.
Middle school physical education teacher and department chairman Rick Dunmire and physical education teacher Chad Kanz wrote the grant proposal.
An $8,916 grant from the 2009-10 Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities program will be used to present the bullying programs in grades one through five.
The program is designed to help students manage anger and conflicts without aggression. It will be presented in 30-minute sessions, twice a week for grades one through three and three times a week for grades four and five.
Bullying sessions also will be conducted with small groups of students at the middle school.
Schools must take lead in promoting healthier diets
The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown) editorial
December 18, 2009
According to the Centers for Disease Control, about 17 percent of 6- to 19-year-olds are obese, compared with about 6 percent in the late 1970s.
What if, instead of serving fast-food facsimiles, schools were required to serve and engage students in the creation of real meals? A number of schools, including those in California where the Legislature passed a healthy-lunch initiative in 2003, have already moved in this direction, planting gardens or switching to local purveyors of fresh produce.
We need to follow suit with a nationwide initiative. Instead of perpetuating the view of food as something that comes from the freezer aisle or a Sysco truck, these efforts launch kids on a path to becoming curious and thoughtful eaters — the first step to a smarter, healthier food culture.
Students take time to learn how to help those who grieve
Penn Trafford Star
December 3, 2009
Students at Trafford Middle School are trying to make the holidays a little better for families that are grieving the loss of a loved one. Children's Grief Awareness Day was last month, and students at the school wore blue shirts to support children who might be grieving and participated in activities and projects to learn more about grief. The projects will be sent to the Highmark Caring Place, a center for grieving children, adolescents and their families.
Seneca Valley takes stance against bullies
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
November 25, 2009
To combat bullying and address the new aspects brought about by technology, the Seneca Valley School District has instituted the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, underwritten by Highmark Healthy High 5. The program is being used in 138 schools in the state.
Hundreds in town for bullying-prevention instruction
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
November 17, 2009
A report released by the Highmark Foundation shows that the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program can decrease bullying in schools. The report showed that within three months of starting the program, bullying decreased by 14 percent among elementary students and 25 percent among high school students. After at least six months, 14 percent of middle school students said they would try to help another student who was being bullied. The survey covered 56,000 students and 2,400 teachers in 107 Pennsylvania schools. The anti-bullying program is part of the Highmark Healthy High 5 Initiative.
Shaler principal 'hopping' students learn lesson about giving of self
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
November 5, 2009
Not many things can convince an 8-year-old to part with a fistful of cash. But Emily Morrison, 8, of Millvale, knows a deal when she sees it. When students at Reserve Primary in Shaler Area School District voted by putting money in jugs to decide what costume their principal would wear for Halloween, Emily stuffed the ballot box. Mr. Pelkofer, of Scott, agreed to dress for Halloween as a fundraiser for the school's Caring Team. The team raises money for Highmark Caring Place, a center for grieving children, adolescents and their families.
Pine-Richland sophomore helping others as part of Highmark Caring Team
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
October 22, 2009
A sophomore at Pine-Richland High School received help at the Highmark Caring Place. Now she is helping others by being a part of the Highmark Caring Team at Pine-Richland.
Caring Teams, organized in local schools, act as a fundraising and awareness arm of the Highmark Caring Place. About 200 schools in western Pennsylvania have Caring Teams.
LearntobeHealthy.org adds mental health curriculum for teens
PR Newswire
October 22, 2009
LearntobeHealthy.org, a free health education site developed by the Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center, has added new online curriculum for grades 10 through 12 that explores topics such as stress management, bullying and cyber-bullying, maintaining healthy relationships, staying safe online and making healthy decisions. LearntobeHealthy.org is a free online health education resource for teachers, students age K-12, and parents made possible through funding provided by Highmark Healthy High 5, a children's health promotion initiative of the Highmark Foundation.
Hopeful Hearts provides child-focused grief support
Indiana Gazette
October 18, 2009
Hopeful Hearts is a child-focused family bereavement support service, funded in part by Highmark Healthy High 5. Hopeful Hearts provides peer support at no cost for every member of a family when someone close to the family has died. Peer support for bereaved children helps them grow through their grief and may prevent the need for more individualized intervention in the future.
Hartwood Elementary receives School Challenge grant
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
October 1, 2009
Hartwood Elementary School in the Fox Chapel Area School District has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of nearly $10,000 to implement a program aimed to encourage lifetime fitness at an early age. Studies illustrate that the health habits children develop at a young age will continue with them through adulthood, and the grant will support Hartwood's efforts in introducing programs that ultimately will create healthier, more successful students.
HALT! puts up formidable barrier against school bullies
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
September 24, 2009
Seneca Valley School District is in the early stages of implementing Highmark Healthy High 5's HALT! program, which includes training not only for students and parents but also for any adult who works in the school. HALT! is funded for three years with a $2.3 million grant from the Highmark Foundation and run by the Somerset County-based Windber Research Institute.
Stopping bullies in the classroom
WJAC TV (Sommerset County, PA)
September 22, 2009
In a setting where bullying can take over quickly, school administrators at Windber Elementary are trying to put a stop it before it starts. The Highmark Foundation puts on the bullying prevention program in schools around the state, but the program itself is world-wide.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
September 17, 2009
Two bullying prevention programs are paying off for Pennsylvania children who were repeatedly teased and harassed at school, according to a study expected to be released in Pittsburgh in November. Reports of bullying are decreasing at the 700 schools participating in the PA CARES and Highmark Healthy High 5 HALT! programs, according to the Highmark Foundation, which supplied a three-year, $2.3 million grant for bullying prevention.
Anti-bullying program aims at prevention
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
September 7, 2009
The target of a bully is not the only victim of bullying, and the bully is not the only cause of the problem. Bullies themselves are hurt just as much by their actions as their victims, and those who see bullying happen and stand idly by are just as much a part of the problem, says Leechburg Area Principal Cynthia Portma.
High school gets $10,000 bike grant
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
August 27, 2009
Norwin High School officials hope 35 bicycles will get students on the road to lifelong healthy habits. The school received a $10,000 Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant, which supplied the bikes and accessories, to start the Bike for Life program. It is part of the physical education department's cardiovascular unit and is expected to reach about 800 students in grades 11 and 12.
Catholic schools set for new year
The Daily News (McKeesport, PA)
August 26, 2009
Students at St. Agnes School in West Mifflin will see a focus on fitness, thanks to a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge. The $9,210 grant will be used to implement the Healthy and Fit program, aimed at addressing the growing issues of good nutrition and physical activity. The school plans to educate more than 120 children in first through eighth grades, using fun tactics about the hows and whys of eating right and getting enough exercise.
"We recognize the importance of providing our students with the resources that will encourage them to adopt healthy habits," Principal Sr. Cynthia Wessel said. "This grant will allow us to provide children with important nutritional concepts, build skills and competencies in the core subject areas through nutrition and physical activity, dance their way to health and fitness using 'Dance Revolution,' and increase their positive self-esteem by feeling good about themselves."
The school hopes that introducing those programs ultimately will create healthier, more successful students.
Highmark Healthy High 5 grants award to Kiski Area Schools
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
August 23, 2009
Kiski Area students will take part in the physical activity program Take 10! and Olweus Bullying program funded by Highmark Healthy High 5.
Grant from Highmark Healthy High 5 provides walking paths to Albert Gallatin students
Herald Standard (Uniontown, PA)
August 23, 2009
A $9,000 grant from Highmark Healthy High 5 will enable completion of a walking path behind Swaney Elementary School.
Obesity grants awarded to area schools
The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, PA)
August 23, 2009
Three Johnstown-area middle schools are among 40 statewide selected to receive federally-funded Active School Grants for 2009-10. Highmark Healthy High 5 has provided a $10,000 grant to each selected school.
McDowell awarded a grant through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge
Millcreek Township School District announcement
August 2009
McDowell has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of $10,000 to implement a winter fun and fitness program for high school students aimed to address the growing issue of sedentary life style during Erie winters. The grant will be used to purchase snowshoes.
Obesity's costs emerge as major concern
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Aug. 4, 2009
Health care debate spotlights problem, but solutions are unclear.
Obesity and its impact on health care costs have taken center stage in the debate about national health care reform. And it seems there may be as many ideas about how to address the problem as there are people who are obese.
A heavy burden: Obesity has become a national health-care crisis
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Aug. 2, 2009
Sticker shock. That's what America experienced when a national study put a price-tag of $147 billion on the cost of obesity.
Americans have tools to reverse obesity trend, conference told
America's Health Insurance Plans (Los Angeles Times)
July 29, 2009
These strategies include increasing the availability of healthy foods and beverages, such as by bringing more grocery stores to underserved areas; promoting physical activity and limiting sedentary behavior by expanding schools' physical education choices; and encouraging breast feeding.
Highmark Caring Place to honor North Hills volunteers
Highmark Caring Place press release
July 6, 2009
The Highmark Caring Place will recognize 66 volunteers from its Warrendale facility on July 8 at a reception at The Camelot banquet hall in Wexford. These individuals have collectively volunteered more than 2,400 hours — an average of nearly 36 hours each during the past year — in support of grieving children, adolescents and their families at the Highmark Caring Place facility in Warrendale.
Washington County Alternative School receives Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge Grant
July 6, 2009
Intermediate Unit 1 Educational Campus at Clark, or the Washington County Alternative School, has received a $10,000 Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant to help students get more active.
West School News - Cornell
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
July, 2, 2009
The Cornell district has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of $9,972 to start a cardiovascular exercise program to address childhood obesity. The grant will enable the district to introduce programs to make students healthier and to purchase additional equipment for its fitness center so more students can exercise during physical education classes. The program is expected to reach 350 children in grades 7-12.
Highmark Caring Place to honor Pittsburgh volunteers
Highmark Caring Place press release
June 25, 2009
The Highmark Caring Place will recognize 178 volunteers on June 29 at a reception in Penn Avenue Place. These individuals collectively volunteered more than 4,583 hours — an average of nearly 26 hours each during the past year — in support of grieving children, adolescents and their families at the Highmark Caring Place facility in Pittsburgh.
South Fayette school receives exercise grant
The Almanac
June 24, 2009
South Fayette Elementary School has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of $9,371 to implement "Dance Dance Revolution" and "Wii" exercise games into the physical education curriculum aimed to address the growing issue of childhood obesity.
Highmark Caring Place gives support to grieving families
The Patriot-News
June 21, 2009
Ali Tare was 10 when her mother died in her sleep, changing everything about Ali's world literally overnight. "We relied on her for everything," the Newberry Township girl, now 16, said, emphasizing "everything." "Just her not being there, I didn't know if we'd be able to survive." Then a sixth-grader, Ali didn't know any other child whose parent had died. She felt alone and awkward, angry and sad.
Valley News Dispatch reports that local schools benefit from Highmark Healthy High 5 grants
Valley News Dispatch
June 18, 2009
St. Joseph has received a $10,000 grant from Highmark Foundation to purchase strength equipment and stationary exercise machines and bicycles, which are expected to benefit 180 students in grades 9-12. The article also reported that five other schools in the area have received grants.
District awarded fitness grant
Indiana Gazette
May 30, 2009
Homer-Center High School has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of $9,957 to implement cardiorespiratory and resistance training equipment in the school fitness center. The program is designed to address the growing issue of inactivity in children.
Homer-Center High School awarded a grant through the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge
Indiana Gazette
May 29, 2009
Grant will provide resources to develop and implement program aimed at increasing the amount and quality of student exercise in school. Homer-Center High School has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of $9,957 to implement cardiorespiratory and resistance training equipment in the school fitness center.
LearntobeHealthy.org adds new K-6 curriculum to address mental health topics
Topix.net (PR Web)
May 28, 2009
LearntobeHealthy.org, an eLearning site created by the Susan P. Byrnes Health Education Center, has added new mental health curriculum for K-6 students. The innovative activities, or "kits," were designed to teach children the importance of healthy decision making, bullying prevention, positive self-esteem, and accepting themselves and those around them for who they are.
N. Strabane school gets fitness grant
The Almanac
May 27, 2009
North Strabane Intermediate School in the Canon-McMillan School District has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of $9,999 to implement "W.I.S.E. Kids" aimed to address the growing issue of children's physical fitness.
North School News — Fox Chapel Area
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
May 21, 2009
Fox Chapel Area High School has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of $10,000 to enhance the development of the Raising Expectations Daily Center, or R.E.D. The R.E.D. Center is a strength and wellness facility in the Fox Chapel Area High School Field House, used by physical education classes and for after-school activities.
Caring Place, where children can grieve
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
May 9, 2009
About 200 youngsters tilted their bright faces toward gray skies and sent heavenward dozens of red balloons, a symbol of the hope that's been invested in the new Highmark Caring Place for grieving children. The balloon launch marked the official opening of the fourth Highmark Caring Place.
Note: This story has a video of the balloon launch and Highmark Caring Place.
Washington County News Briefs (scroll down)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
April 9, 2009
Peters: The middle school has been awarded a Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of $10,000 for an initiative that will focus on nutrition, physical activity and bullying.
North School News (scroll down)
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
April 2, 2009
Pine-Richland Middle School has earned the Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge grant of $9,117 to implement a nutritional and fitness program.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
March 29, 2009
Teens from across the Pittsburgh region are gearing up for an "ultimate" fund-raiser to sponsor outdoor recreation opportunities for area youth and families.
Ryan's Tree promotes healthy grieving
Times News Online (Allentown, Pa. area)
March 27, 2009
Ryan's Tree for Grieving Children, a program run by the Hospice of St. Luke, recently received funding from Highmark Healthy High 5. Ryan's Tree is a guided peer program for children grieving the loss of a loved one.
Retreat teaches kids lessons about bullying
The Tribune Democrat (Johnstown)
March 27, 2009
Ferndale Area School District students learned things about themselves and others during a bullying-prevention retreat at The Grove in Westmont.
New grant helps Ryan's Tree better help grieving children
The Morning Call (Allentown, Pa.)
March 16, 2009
Ryan's Tree for Grieving Children is a support group program that has helped hundreds of children in the Lehigh Valley grapple with the death of a loved one.
Baldwin-Whitehall aims to improve fitness scores
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
March 12, 2009
Yoga and Pilates are just two of several new programs that will be offered to J.E. Harrison Middle School students when a new fitness center opens this month at the school. The fitness center is funded through a $10,000 grant from Highmark Healthy High 5.
Kitchens for hire: Produce Playground
Lancaster Online
March 11, 2008
Playing with your food is not always encouraged, but it is at Kegel's Produce Playground on Old Tree Drive in Lancaster.
Bereavement center to help children, families with grief
Indiana Gazette
Feb. 27, 2009
Highmark Healthy High 5 provided the Hopeful Hearts program with the funding to serve several Pennsylvania counties and especially since it was out of the service area that the Highmark Caring Places are able to serve. Hopeful Hearts is a children- and family-centered bereavement support program.