A Ray of Light in Ohio

What do you get when you cross a devoted group

of doctors, a medical support group, and a

ready-to-use educational program called

SunWise? In Montgomery County, Ohio, you get RAYS

(Raising Awareness About Your Skin), an active volunteer committee that educates students throughout the

county about the dangers of ultraviolet radiation. The

committee has reached more than 8,500 students in 20

school districts during the past two years.

Consisting of more than 32 dermatologists, plastic surgeons, internists, obstetricians, optometrists, and neurologists, along with 25 other volunteers, the committee

arranges assemblies and

classroom presentations in

middle and high schools

throughout the year.

Volunteers use SunWise

lesson plans and a captivating slide presentation

to teach students about

the early signs of skin

cancer and what risky

behaviors to avoid. In

addition, volunteers provide SunWise materials

and information to

schools and encourage

teachers and administrators to join the SunWise program. The committee

have been tremendously successful.

“Not only have we been on the news three or four 

but we’ve reached an incredible number of studen

we have also discovered several teachers with skin 

cer,” explained Betty Lacey, a volunteer who took a

year off work to devote to this cause. “People didn

what to look for until we showed them pictures.”

The pictures she’s referring to are a series of clinic

tographs of skin cancer—part of the slide presenta

developed and used by the committee. Available o

SunWise Web site at <www.epa.gov/sunwise/webp

this presentation has been successful in getting stu

to think twice about sitting in the sun or going to 

ning salon before a wedding or a prom, and it stim

peer pressure to keep each other safe. “The realist

of skin cancer are extremely effective,” said Lacey.

“Students are usually surprised by the gruesome c

quences of too much sun.” 

<Continued on 
centers, schools, primary care providers, beach and pool

facilities, as well as the media.

Although they do not have a formal partnership with

EPA, Mary O’Connell of ACS said that the new community programs will focus on actively promoting SunWise.

“If schools do not currently have a sun-protection program, we are encouraging them to contact

EPA and join SunWise. EPA spent a lot of

time developing this program, and we

think it’s a great resource,” O’Connell said.

In addition to asking teachers to

devote at least two classroom sessions

to sun safety education, ACS is asking

schools to examine their sun awareness policies. For example,

ACS is looking at whether

schools offer shade

provision during recess

and whether or not

children are required to wear

hats and apply sunscreen when

outside. According to O’Connell, this repre

safety training for staff members and lifeguards. “B

they are visible to patrons, it’s important for lifegu

act as role models and exhibit responsible sun-saf

behaviors,” O’Connell said. In addition, ACS asks 

safety instructors to remind their students to “Slip

Slap! Wrap!” at the end of each lesson. This sloga

which means “Slip on a shirt, Slop on sunscreen, 

a hat, and Wrap on sunglasses,” was adapted from 

campaign successfully used for many years by the

Australian Cancer Society. 

Primary care physicians can participate in the pro

by distributing patient education materials in thei

ing rooms, engaging their patients in discussions 

sun safety, and, when applicable, tagging the char

patients who are at high risk for sun-related illnes

According to O’Connell, ACS is optimistic about 

cess of this new initiative and is currently evaluati

first batch of field tests. Results from these tests w

reported to EPA by the end of the summer. For m

information about ACS and its sun-safe communi

programs, visit its Web site at <www.cancer.org>. 

The program got its start in 1999 when a group of dermatologists from the Ohio Medical Association passed a resolution to teach students throughout the state about the

hazards of the sun and tanning salons. Volunteers from the

Montgomery County Medical Alliance and its auxiliary

support group decided to take action on the resolution. 

When the committee read about the SunWise program in

a newspaper article and began using SunWise materials,

it began to have success in attracting schools to th

“EPA’s program was definitely the springboard for o

program,” said Lacey. “Their ready-to-use materials 

a huge difference. We are anxiously awaiting new

SunWise materials to incorporate into our program

For more information about RAYS, send an e-mail 

RAYSTASKFORCE@aol.com. 

A Ray of Light... <Continued from page 1>
coordinator at Central Middle School

in Tinley Park, Illinois, works with

the top 5 percent of the seventh and

eighth grade students as part of the

school’s gifted program. Brennan

practices “inquiry learning,” a loose

system that allows students to ask

questions about a topic of their

choice and conduct activities to

answer them. 

“A few years ago in May, a group of

my students noticed some high

school kids lined up outside a tanning salon in preparation for their

prom,” Brennan said. “I overheard

them complaining that tanning causes skin cancer, and I asked them how

they knew for sure.” To find the

answer, the students began a research

project on the effects of exposure to

ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Not long

after that, Brennan discovered EPA’s

SunWise Web site. She began working with EPA to create activities

students conduct both group and

individual research and then find

creative ways to share what they

learn. One part of their research

effort was to contact the American

Cancer Society, which sent them

information, bookmarks, and stickers

related to sun safety. Brennan has also

forged relationships with a local

oncologist and a Chicago-based meteorologist, both of whom are available

to answer students’ questions.

To share what they learned last year,

the students created flyers on sun

safety and distributed them to local

youth sports teams. The students

also decorated and gave away hats

and bandanas with UV-sensitive

paint and performed experiments by

applying sun screen to necklaces

they made from UV-sensitive beads.

As part of a long-term activity, the

students monitor and chart daily

local UV intensity. The students also

share their information by writing

articles for the school newslet

posting articles and notices on 

school bulletin board, and po

information on their Web site

<www.ccsd146.k12.il.us/centr

projects.html>. 

“My students are very concern

about their world,” Brennan s

“SunWise is such a great prog

because it stirred their creativ

interest, and made them realiz

can have an impact.” 

For more informat

Debbie Brennan

Central Middle Sch

6611 West 171st S

Tinley Park, IL

708 614-4510
Due in large part to the publicity surrounding holes in the ozone layer, most people

are familiar with stratospheric ozone—the kind that protects humans, plants, and an

mals from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. But did you know that

ozone exists at ground level? More commonly referred to as smog, ground-level

ozone is often seen in the skyline of major cities. These two types of ozone affect th

environment differently, and both are worth a closer look.

The Good

Ozone forms in the atmosphere wh

of oxygen are combined (O3). Oz

the stratosphere—about 15 to 30 

above the earth’s surface—protects the en

its inhabitants from UV radiation that ca

problems, including skin cancer, eye dam

pression of the immune system, as well a

crops and ecosystems. To maintain a con

tive layer for Earth, stratospheric ozone i

ated and destroyed at a constant rate, bu

substances, including chlorofluorocarbon

fere with this process. CFCs, methyl bro

substances accelerate and aggravate ozon

the stratosphere. This causes “holes” in t

layer—areas where ozone thickness has 

icantly. Reduced ozone layer thickness m

tion from UV rays and increased risks to 

and the environment. International coop

ceeded in reducing the production and u

other ozone-depleting substances in cert

world, but these substances persist in th

and will continue to disrupt the delicate 

protective ozone layer for years to come.

Ozone:

Bad Nearby

Good Up High,
about 2 million are normal 

oxygen, while only 3 are ozone.

The Effects on Climate

The Bad

Ground-level ozone is a major component of air

pollution. It is created when oxides of nitrogen

(NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—

byproducts of vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and

chemical solvents—chemically react in the presence of

strong sunlight and warm weather conditions. Exposure

to ozone pollution can cause a range of health problems,

including chest pains, coughing, throat irritation, and

congestion, and it can worsen bronchitis, emphysema,

heart disease, and asthma. It can also damage plants and

trees and reduce crop production. Decreasing NOx 

and VOC emissions from power plants and other facilities, and automobile exhaust are two ways of combating

the creation of polluting ozone. 

H

ardly a day goes by without an article or new

ture on global warming and climate change

appearing in the media. You may be wonderi

therefore, whether there is a link between ozone de

tion and climate change. 

The answer is yes, and in more ways than one. Firs

ozone-depleting substances are greenhouse gases. T

comprise only a small portion of total greenhouse g

produced worldwide, but they still contribute to gl

climate change. And substitutes for ozone-depleting 

stances, while helping to protect the ozone layer, ar

potent greenhouse gases.

Second, climate change may accelerate ozone deple

which worsens when temperatures in the stratosph

become colder. Global warming is caused by increa

greenhouse gases and essentially robs the stratosph

warmth by trapping heat below it. This creates a co

stratosphere and increased ozone depletion, particu

in colder latitudes, such as the North Pole and Arct

Circle. This occurrence could have major conseque

in the near future. Just as the ozone layer is expecte

begin recovering from worldwide reductions in CFC

production and use, higher global temperatures ma

increase ozone depletion, canceling out the gains m

up to this point. As Jason Samenow, a climate scien

EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation states, “These issu

should no longer be considered in isolation given th

interconnectedness of our changing atmosphere.” 
thank you for coming

to our school...I learned

that you can get sun

barn in cloudy days. 

Thank you for coming

in our classroom to

teach us about sun

safety. You are a good

teacher. I learned

that you have to put

sunglasses. 

Thank you for showing

how to take care of

our body by puting

sunscreen and sunglasses too. 

Thank you for coming.

I will use sunscreen. I

will wear a hat. 

I learned that even on

clou days you can get

sunburn, and anamals

can get sunburn. I learn a lot a lot of

thing from you. I

learn we have to put

sunscreen before we

go outside, we have to

put are clothes, wear

sunglasses to protect

are eye. 

I learned hippos 

thier own sunscr

also learned if y

shadow is smalle

you play in the 

the day even more exciting, it was covered by CNN

The following are excerpts from some of the letters the 

students sent to Linda in appreciation for her SunWise 

(Artwork courtesy of students at Georgian Forest Elementary School, Silver Spring, Ma

Kid’s

Korner
Indexes for 58 cities, and some major parts of the country were excluded. Now users can get the UV Index at

their exact location, which is much more beneficial to

them,” said Craig Long of NWS. 

The UV Index was developed by NWS and EPA to predict UV radiation levels. Overexposure to the sun’s UV

As a future project, the NWS and EPA are conside

increasing the forecasted number of days, so users 

plan outdoor activities several days in advance. Fo

information, contact Craig Long of NWS at 301 7

8071, ext. 7557. 

VT

N

MA

VA D

OH

KY

MI

SC

NC

FL

AL

WV

GA

TN

IN

AR

MO

OK

KS

IL

IA

WI

MN

NE

SD

ND MT

WY

CO

NM

AZ

UT

NV

CA

OR

ID

WA

MS

TX LA

PA

NY

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

UV INDEX

UV Index Forecast for a Typical Day

*Valid during the solar noon hour*
United States 

Environmental Protection Agency

(6205J)

Washington, DC 20460

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use

$300

2Printed on paper that contains at least 50 percent postconsumer fiber.

comprehensive, cross-curricular activities that focus on:

The science behind ultraviolet (UV) radiation

and stratospheric ozone

The health risks of overexposure to UV radiation

The steps you can take to protect yourself

The tool kit also contains a policy section that shows

teachers and students how to encourage sun-safety activities outside of the classroom. These policy materials feature suggestions on sharing SunWise knowledge with the

rest of the school, reaching out to families with su

practices, forming community partnerships, and o

ing sun-safe events. Stay tuned, as the tool kit wil

available in Spanish within the coming year.

For more information on the SunWise Tool Kit, co

Linda Rutsch at 202 564-2261 or Kristin Kenausi

564-2289. To join the SunWise School Program, p

visit the Web site at <www.epa.gov/sunwise>.