March 7, 2005

Kid’s Fun Day attracts record crowds, participants

Event emphasizes importance of health in school success

By Candy Richter
Staff Writer

West San Jose’s Westgate Shop-ping Center was the site of the Second Annual Kid’s Fun Day” health fair held Feb. 26, in the center’s main court.

San Jose councilmember Linda LeZotte joins in the Fun Day activities with an impromptu blood pressure reading courtesy of Campbell Union High School District nurse Melinda Landau.

The event was sponsored by the Westside Schools Children’s Health Initiative, (WSCHI) and emphasized the importance of good health and the impact it can have on a child’s academic success.

The fair, which featured balloon artists, live entertainment from local schools, raffles and plenty of healthy snacks, also gave attendees the opportunity to learn more about the Healthy Kids Program, nutrition, the impact health has on a child’s academic success and the chance to talk to health professionals from the six school districts represented.

Event organizers have seen a significant growth in vendor support for the Fun Day, with the number of booths more than doubling over 2003 participant numbers. This trend has also been mirrored on the community side, with an increased number of schools filling the entertainment roster at this year’s event.

WSCHI partners with six school districts in the west San Jose area. It was developed as a way to reach qualifying students and offer health coverage through programs like the Children’s Health Initiative.

According to Felix Alvarez, school outreach programs manager for Santa Clara Family Health Plan, the success of WSCHI has been in a large part due to the school districts’ willingness to embrace the program.

“The School Collaborative program has really strengthened and has the capacity to provide information and health insurance to kids throughout their districts. The programs have become very self-sustaining in all six districts.
[Sometimes] other programs will depend on the organizations to run them, here, the districts own this program. They are very involved.”

State Assembly member Rebecca Cohn discusses the importance of gun safety with Trace Schaller, a sophomore at Pioneer High School. Schaller is currently working with Project Child Safety as his community service project and handed out Firearms Responsibility Contracts and free trigger locks at the Fun Day event.

The impetus for WSCHI came from Supervisor James Beall in March 2002. Beall quickly engaged additional initial partners, including the six superintendents representing Cambrian Elementary, Luther Burbank Elementary, Moreland Elementary, Union Elementary, Campbell Union Elementary, and Campbell Union High School Districts.

Rounding out the collaborative was the Santa Clara Family Health Plan who administers the Healthy Kids Program in the County of Santa Clara County. “Schools are our best partners in ensuring all kids have access to preventative health care,” said Beall, “This program has signed up more than 600 children with health insurance and plans to improve on that number in the coming year.” hopes to improve on that number in the coming year.”

“All six superintendents of Westside school districts believe that securing health care for children is the first step towards healthier kids,” said Moreland School District Superintendent Les Adelson. “The Children’s Health Initiative is a wonderful program,” added San Jose councilmember Linda LeZotte. “[It is] investing in the health and happiness of our children and will always be money well spent.”