Promoting positive advertising in your local school district final draft

Promoting Positive Advertising

in Your Local School District

Katelyn Hall

Brigham Young

University

Running head: PROMOTING POSITIVE ADVERTISING 1

EN

GL 3

12

“As a senior at Brigham Young University I

have been presented with many health

related issues in my chosen field of study.

Taking classes through the Exercise &

Wellness and Nutrition programs has

opened my eyes and has given me a firm

foundation off of which I have built and

developed opinions on these issues. With

the help of professors and researchers

around the world I hope to gain your trust

as I address the most intriguing issue of

them all, the ever growing epidemic of

childhood obesity.”

Katelyn Hall

2

PROMOTING POSITIVE ADVERTISING

LA

RG

E

Our nation is constantly at war with numerous issues. From

the war on drugs to the war on the family, the leaders of

our nation have their hands full, leaving other problems,

like childhood obesity, on the back-burner with the rest of

the greasy, artery clogging double bacon cheeseburgers.

In April of 2008, former Surgeon General, Dr. Richard

Carmona, addressed this issue in San Francisco and made

this riveting statement, “At a time when we are at war, at a

time when there are so many competing interests, obesity

really isn’t a sexy thing” (FORA.tv, 2008). He also shared

an experience from 2005 when a reporter asked him,

“Surgeon General, what is the most pressing issue before

you today?” He answered with, “Obesity, because obesity is the terror

within. It is destroying us, it is destroying

our society from within”(FORA.tv, 2008).

So who is fighting the war on childhood obesity? After all, it

could very well be one of the most dangerous epidemics in

the nation.The P

roble

m a

t

3


This epidemic is so extremely dangerous for multiple

reasons. One of them being it’s affect on the lifespan of

it’s victims. In 2006, Daniels stated:

The increasing prevalence and severity of childhood

obesity may reverse the modern era's steady

increase in life expectancy, with today's youth on

average living less healthy and ultimately shorter

lives than their parents-the first such reversal in

lifespan in modern history. Such a possibility makes

obesity in children an issue of utmost public health

concern. (p. 47)In the five years since this statement was published we

have seen a significant climb in childhood obesity and

even signs of chronic illnesses in our nation’s youth

(Daniels, 2006, p. 48). If this is kept up then how do we

honestly expect our nation to have a successful future?

On the same note, who do we expect to go to war for our

country? run our retirement homes and hospitals? raise

our grandchildren? Simply, the future work force does not

look as appetizing as that back-burner double bacon

cheeseburger.I am here to convince you, as a parent of these future

leaders, that the declining health of our

nation’s youth is preventable! With the many

challenges and trials that our nation is facing, this is one

of few that can be rerouted. In this brochure it is my goal

to assist you in successfully influencing the epidemic of

childhood obesity in your own home1 and community.

1Many children are also homeschooled, making it even more

important that their homes provide a healthy

environment.

The P

roble

m a

tLA

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E…

conti

nued.

4


Defi

nin

g

Childhood O

besi

tyConsidering that 31.0% of the children in our nation

are overweight or obese, it is important that we

understand how they are actually defined as such

(Hedley, Ogden, Johnson, Carroll, & Curtin, 2004, p.

2847). The parameters for obesity in children is

determined differently than done so in adults.

5


As you may know, adults—being defined as 20+ years

of age—use the BMI scale to determine the status of

their body composition. BMI stands for “body mass

index” and is used to measure body composition

(Deurenberg & Mabel, 1999, p. 7). In more technical

terms, it is a “weight to height index providing a

measure of body weight corrected for height”

(Deurenberg & Mabel, 1999, p. 7). This measurement is

represented by a number that can be found on the BMI

chart. Depending on what range the number falls in

roughly determines your body composition. The ranges

for adults are 18.5> being underweight, 18.5-24.9 being

normal, 25-29.9 being overweight, and 30< being obese

(Flegal, Carroll, Ogden, & Curtin, 2010, p. 235). Different

phases of obesity are then introduced after a BMI of 30

(Flegal et al., 2010, p. 235). Children—ages 6-19—are measured in percentiles. If

your child fell below the 5 th percentile then they would

be defined as underweight, 5 th-85 th would be normal,

85 th-95 th would be “at risk” to be over weight; and 95 th<

would be over weight (Hedley et al., 2004, p. 2847).

Many fallacies have been brought to light about these

measurements. One of the largest issue is that of the

term “overweight.” The truth of the matter is the

children that are above the 95 th percentile are actually

obese. The problem is your pediatrician will not tell you

this in fear of damaging the confidence or emotions of

your child. It is your job to be knowledgeable of these

measurements.

Defi

nin

g

Childhood O

besi

ty…

conti

nued.

6


What

is c

ausi

ng

childhood o

besi

ty? Childhood obesity is being caused by a lot more than that

double bacon cheeseburger that has America wrapped

around it’s little finger. A larger causing agent is that of

being uninformed. An uniformed parent is more likely to

feed their children foods with refined sugar, allow them to

watch multiple hours of TV a day, and fail to sign them up

for little league baseball. Story, Kaphingst, & French

(2006) stated, “Parents create an environment conducive

to active or sedentary lifestyles” (p. 130). It is the

sedentary lifestyle that is so hazardous for their children’s

health and potential.Outside of the home, kids spend many hours a day in

another vital environment: schools. If a child’s home is full

of unhealthy habits then their only chance at a healthy life

is provided by the classroom.

7


Obesi

ty in

Our

Sch

ools

A place where the majority of our nation’s children can be

found is in the schools. Story et al. (2006) released a

statement saying, “Schools can become one of the

nation’s most effective weapons in the fight

against obesity by creating an environment

that is conducive to healthful eating and

physical activity” (p. 130). This being the case, schools

are one of the most influential environments that our

children are involved in. Unfortunately, many school districts

have not been able to provide a healthy environment.

Schools are now being filled with vending machines, al a

cartes, and advertisements for large franchise companies

that sell every kind of junk food you can think of (Story et

al., 2006, p. 117). Take note that some school districts have

banned such things from their hallways and cafeterias.

However, in many cases schools need more money and are

willing to sacrifice the health of their students—your children

—in order to obtain this extra revenue.

8


“Lisa Ray, founder of the Minnesota based group

Parents for Ethical Marketing, says the biggest problem

with in-school advertising is that it undermines

parents’ ability to protect their children

from commercial messages” (Macedo, 2010, p.

2). Convincing you that childhood obesity is a rising issue

in our nation is not a difficult task. There are multiple

studies and research plainly shows this problem.

However, convincing you to help the next generation

become and stay healthy is quite the challenge.

Throughout this brochure I will provide for you some

how-to’s of keeping your child healthy amidst the

marketing in today’s school systems and how to

become a successful advocate for making a difference

in your local school district.

…co

nti

nued.

Obesi

ty in

Our

Sch

ools

9


What

You C

an

Do

Promote healthy living in your

public school system! This means

getting rid of the negative and unhealthy

advertising and replacing it with positive and

uplifting material that promotes a healthy

lifestyle. Advertising and marketing does not

have to be a negative concept. It can be

used to benefit the well-being of students

throughout the nation.Replacing junk food and even pop culture

ads on lockers, book covers, and school

buses with healthier advertisements can

significantly influence students.

10


The negative effects of advertisers

and marketers infiltrating our school system are

very clear. Not only is the health of our children

compromised, but their shaky morals are tested and their

vulnerable minds simply cannot appropriately compute

what is being placed all around them. Since these children

are so receptive to this media, we as parents and adults

need to be extra careful with what kind of media that we

let into the schools (Story et al., 2006, p. 130).

Alternative options that promote a healthy lifestyle include

the government’s “MyPyramid,” now known as “MyPlate.”

Other substitutions that could be made include promoting

exercise, after school programs, or walk-a-thons. The trick

to this type of advertising is finding businesses and

companies that actually want to advertise in schools. Paul

Miller, owner of Coon Rapids-based School Media’s, stated,

“We require all advertisers to be education-, nutrition-, or

health-and-wellness-based. If it calls outside those

parameters, we don’t allow them to advertise in the

schools” (“Schools open lockers,” 2010). Miller’s business

does exactly this as they advertise for a local zoo

promoting no texting while driving, for a bank urging

students to save for college, and for an insurance company

noting that better grades equal lower premium (“Schools

open lockers,” 2010). One of the main reasons schools jump for advertising in

general is for the previously mentioned increase in budget.

Many school board members will say that the advertising

is good because it allows them to continue recess and P.E.

programs. As this is true, it is possible to keep these active

programs in the schools through the type of advertising

that Coon Rapids- based School Media’s provides.

What

You C

an

Do

…co

nti

nued.

11


The Infl

uence

You C

an M

ake One of the most influential things you can do

is inspire your local school board to

make the switch to healthy

advertising and marketing in your

school district. You can start doing this by

attending public school board meetings

(Dowd, 2010, p. 35). Doing this shows your

care and concern for your cause—as well as

others’ causes—and for the students that

your cause directly affects.

12


Your

Audie

nce During your preparation it is vital that you consider

your audience with every decision that you make. In

the situation of promoting healthy advertising, the

audience would be your local school board.

These individuals play a very important role in the

decisions that directly effect all children, K-12, in your

district. The pressure put on these individuals to

make the right decisions is quite high considering

they are volunteers and are generally not education-

centered professionals (Wiley & Howard-Barr, 2005, p.

7).

13


There are different types of school board members.

Wiley et al. (2005) published an article about these different

types with the purpose of informing members of the

community that may want to be successful while addressing

board members (p. 7). The two types are less-effective

members and effective members. In short, the less-effective

members are fairly selfish and cannot see the whole picture

when addressing a given issue. On the other hand, effective

members step back and obtain a more global perspective

with each issue. They are able to “make thoughtful,

deliberative decisions” (Wiley & Howard-Barr, 2005, p. 7).

When presenting your case or cause to your school board,

remember that some will be harder to sway than others.

However, as mentioned before, these people are just like us,

not administrative geniuses, and they are doing their best to

get positive outcomes out of our children's education.

14


Your

Audie

nce

…co

nti

nued.

In 2010, Dowd quoted Bruce Buchanan in the association of

School Boards Journal saying,:

School board members have long held themselves

accountable for making sure that students are learning.

Now, all across the country, they are taking the lead in

ensuring that the next generation is healthy and fit by

advocating for policies and procedures that promote good

nutrition, physical fitness, and overall healthy living. (p.

35)The irony comes in when Dowd points out that “Whether that

statement is accurate or not, what is clear is that preventable

diseases and lifestyle maladies are impacting America’s

children and youth at alarming rates” (p. 35).

The school board may have good intentions, but in many cases

it is actually the education of the students that is more

important to them than the actual health status of these young

scholars.

15


…co

nti

nued.

Your

Audie

nce

10 Steps for

Effectively

Advocating with

School Boards

1. Understand School Board Responsibilities

2. Connect Health to Academics

3. Remember the Golden Rule

4. Provide Financial Solutions not Obstacles

5. Strength in Numbers

6. Be Persistent

7. Stick to the Point

8. Control your Passion

9. Celebrate Small Victories

10. Build Relationships (J

efferies, 2009, p. 35-37)

16


The school board has four identified responsibilities:

1.Vision2.Structure3.Accountability4.Advocacy

This is where you can play an important role since health is

clearly not on their list. Advocating for positively influential

advertising in schools may not directly improve grades, but

as we have previously seen it does make a significant

difference. It is your job to make this known. The health

of all of these students, K-12, is important

and can be improved if advocated correctly.

There are many small, but influential, things you can do to

help advocate this great cause. 1.

Unders

tand

Sch

ool B

oard

R

esp

onsi

bilit

ies

17


2.

Connect

H

ealt

h t

o

Aca

dem

ics

Amongst the many positive outcomes from

promoting healthy lifestyle in schools there

is one that outshines the rest. Simply, healthy

children get better grades. Jeffries (2009) states,

“Students who miss school due to sickness will not achieve

their potential. Students who do not feel well will be unable to

concentrate” (p. 36). Research also shows that “severely

overweight children and adolescents are four times more

likely than their healthy-weight peers to report ‘impaired

school functioning’” (Story et al., 2006, p. 110).

“With the relationship between health status and academic

achievement confirmed in scientific research, school boards

may begin paying more attention to providing high quality

health services and health instruction for students” (Wiley &

Howard-Barr, 2005, p. 6). As school board members do just

this, our children will become healthier because

their environment will be designed to assist them in doing so.

On top of keeping our kids healthy with lots of play time,

fruits, veggies, and chewy Flintstone multivitamins, let us also

push for a healthy environment in the classroom so that our

kids can excel and learn like they deserve.

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3.

Rem

em

ber

the G

old

en R

ule

• During the school board meeting is not the time to vent

your frustrations through being rude, critical, or

condescending.• A lot more will come from your efforts if you address the

school board with the same respect that you want them to

give your issue.• Keep in mind that the school board members are

volunteers that are trying their best to benefit the children

in your district.

19


4.

Pro

vid

e

Fin

anci

al S

olu

tions

not

Obst

acl

es

Going to meetings, gaining supporters, and respecting the

school board are all very important. However, we must

remember that we are trying to convince the school board

that switching from unhealthy to healthy advertising is

significantly worthwhile. This takes months of preparation

considering that the more unhealthy ads can bring up to

$230,000 in extra revenue per year (Macedo, 2010). It is

even harder when you have superintendants, like Paul

Stremick, admitting, “I hate to say it’s all about the money,

but it probably is” (“Schools open lockers,” 2010, p. 1).

There are a few things to keep in mind before you go gung-

ho over changing the world, one school board at a time.

Next to getting past stubborn school board members,

money is the next largest road block. Jeffries points out

that “about 85% of the entire budget is already allocated

to salaries. The remaining 15% has to cover everything

else” (Jeffries, 2009, p. 36). So if you have any costly ideas,

be aware that they are less likely to pass compared to

ideas that have a compromise or funding plan involved.

Remember, you are more likely to leave a school board

meeting with success in hand if you propose win-win situations.

20


5.

Str

ength

In

Num

bers

There are three things you should focus on before you

attend the meeting in which your cause is addressed:

recruit, recruit, and recruit! The more people you have

supporting your cause, the more attention you will

receive from the school board. You will want to join forces

with parents, health professionals, and any citizen that is

willing to fight for your case. Wiley and Howard-Barr

(2005) provide a few helpful suggestions directed

towards the “before the meeting” process (pp. 8-9).

Before the meeting you should:

• have a parent advisory group

• take “baby steps”•

smaller more reasonable initiatives should be

proposed•recommendations should be reasonable

• work with school board administration

• recruit one or two “health champions” on the

school board• Don’t forget that, “A single school board member

is powerless in changing school policies” (Jeffries,

2009, p. 35).

21


6.

Be P

ers

iste

nt

You don’t have to bring up your cause every time you go to

a board meeting. Matter of fact, it is better to be willing to

attend these meetings regularly. This shows the school

board that you are committed and that you care about

more than just your issue at hand.

When you do start presenting your issue, after plenty of

preparation and research of course, then it will probably

take multiple attempts. School board members are busy

with many issues and for them to remember your face and

your issue is like trying to remember the names of every

student in their district.

So be persistent! It will prove more effective the more face

time you have with the board. As your case is repetitively

exposed you will notice the board becoming more familiar

to you and what you are pushing for.

22


7.

Sti

ck t

o t

he

Poin

t

The most important moment that can either promote

or destroy your case is when you are actually

presenting it to the school board. Keep these tips in

mind while you are preparing your presentation

(Wiley & Howard-Barr, 2005, pp. 8-9).

• present a blend of data with discussion of

the true community activity

• strike a proper balance between statistics

and the local situation

• talk about health risks of local youth

• supplement oral presentation with oral

materials• avoid “do it for the kids” mentality

• avoid the “I’m mad” approach

• link the health status of students to

improved academic performance

• avoid threats or attempts to intimidate

board members

23


8.

Contr

ol your

Pass

ion

“Passion and enthusiasm will

undo you if not tempered with

patience and respect”(Jefferies, 2009, p. 36).

Having excessive passion for your issue will cloud

your judgment and will prevent you from thinking

clearly. Many times members of the community will

jump to conclusions because of poor listening

skills. Remember, if a board member asks

questions, it does not mean he or she is opposed.

24


9.

Cele

bra

te

Sm

all V

icto

ries

“If patience is a virtue, and you

plan to advocate for change in

schools, you should anticipate

becoming one of the most

virtuous individuals in your community”

(Jefferies, 2009, p. 37).

As previously mentioned, making a significant enough

difference to see changes in your school district will take

time, more than you may be expecting. Keep this in mind

before you get too deep into the process or else you may

set yourself up for disappointment.

A good way to keep your patience-tank full is by taking

note of any and all victories that you have throughout

the process (Dowd 2010, p. 36). Doing this will keep your

spirits high and will help you stay motivated.

25


10.

Build

Rela

tionsh

ips

Developing trust also takes a significant amount of

time. Depending on your district, you may not have

board meetings very often. Amongst all of the faces at

these meetings it is hard for board members to

remember everyone. However, through diligent

attendance you can become known to these board

members and eventually gain their trust.

Another key to developing and maintaining a positive

relationship with your local school board is taking the

time to let them know that you appreciate their efforts.

After the meeting:• make aware your willingness to help by serving on

a committee or any other function that would help

advance the cause• recognize when to step aside and allow the school

district to [take over]

(Wiley & Howard-Barr, 2005, pp. 8-9)

26


The “

Do’s

”

Let’s review the things that you should do as

you approach the issue of healthy advertising in your

school district.• Commit to attend regular board

meetings (Jeffries, 2009, pp. 36-37)

• Recruit large numbers of supporters

(Jeffries, 2009, pp. 36-37)

• Get support for your position (Jeffries, 2009,

pp. 36-37)• Consider the whole child (Wiley & Howard-Barr,

2005, p. 8)• Dress in business attire, arrive

early, and interact with community

participants (Dowd, 2010, p. 36)

• Sign up on the “public comment”

roster for the meeting (Dowd, 2010, p. 36)

• Bring hard copies of the message

you plan to deliver (Dowd, 2010, p. 36)

• Make your issue as clear as possible

(Jeffries, 2009, pp. 36-37)

• Propose win-win situations (Jeffries, 2009, pp.

36-37)• Be respectful (Jeffries, 2009, pp. 36-37)

• Be persistent (Jeffries, 2009, pp. 36-37)

• Be thankful (Dowd, 2010, p. 36)

• Show and interest in topics other

than just your issues

(Jeffries, 2009, pp. 36-37)

27


The “

Do N

ot'

s”

There are also a handful of things that you do not want to

include in your approach if you are hoping to be

successful. • Don’t overwhelm the board with

research (Jeffries, 2009, p. 37)

• Don’t talk down (Jeffries, 2009, p. 37)

• Avoid • the “do it for the kids

approach”• the “I'm mad approach”

• threats of attempts to

intimidate board members (Wiley &

Howard-Barr, 2005, p. 9)

• Don’t “over kill” the issue (Wiley &

Howard-Barr, 2005, p. 9)

• Don’t walk out of meetings after

your topic has been discussed. It

is a poor way to demonstrate your

overall concern for the education

of student in your district (Jeffries, 2009,

p. 36).

28


A L

oca

l Succ

ess

Sto

ry

Provo City School District has shown significant

improvements in the environment of their schools. Through

talking with the district’s child nutrition program director,

Jenilee McComb, I was informed about some of the many

things that the district is doing to keep their students healthy.

Not only are they keeping negative advertising out of their

schools but they are implementing and trying new ideas in

order to save money and still promote healthy living to their

students (Adams, 2011).Recently they won the national “Best of State” award through

United Fresh and ProAct for the 2010-2011 school year. With

this award they received a large amount of funding and have

been able to provide healthy food and activities for their

students. This healthy food that they serve in their cafeterias

is inspired by culinary experts and they have recently revised

their menus to be healthier. To keep their students active they

have determined “Move It!” to be this school year’s theme.

They get their kids to “Move It!” by teaching them fun dances

during their already healthy lunch time, as well as by giving

out bikes, via raffle to their students, that they won in a

contest.McComb’s role in all of this is to create and analyze menus

and calendars to meet government guidelines. She then

meets with the school board at least once a month to review

her work. McCombs stated, “[the school board members are]

very positive and supportive and wise... but strict with

money” (McComb, J., personal communication, July 26, 2011).

McCombs also mentioned that the parents and PTA been

wonderful and very involved.29


As you can see, Provo City School District is doing

an excellent job of creating a healthy environment

for their students. Let us all become

advocates of this healthy cause by

helping other districts rise up to their

potential and become more like the one in

Provo, Utah. As we do this, our children will

become healthier and will be able to fill their

potential as future parents and leaders of our

nation.


30

Work

s C

ited

Adams, J. (2011, May 15). Maybe not just a yellow bus anymore. The Daily

Universe.Daniels, S.R. (2006). The consequences of childhood overweight and obesity.

Future of Children, 16(1), 47-67.Deurenberg P. & Mabel, Y. (1999). The assessment of obesity: methods for

measuring body fat and global prevalence of obesity, 13(1), 1-11.

Dowd, K. (2010, March/April). School board advocacy: ready, aim, inspire!.

Strategies, 23(4), 35-36.Draper, N. (2010, October 18). Schools open lockers to advertising.

Flegal, K.M., Carroll, M.D., Ogden, C.L., & Curtin L.R. (2010). Prevalence and

Trends in Obesity Among US Adults, 303(3), 235-241.

FORA.tv. (2008, April). Dr. Richard Carmona on the obesity epidemic [Video

Podcast]. Retrieved from http://fora.tv/2008/04/02/Former_Surgeon_General_Dr__Richard_Carmona

#Dr__Richard_Carmona_on_the_Obesity_Epidemic

Hedley, A.A., Ogden, C.L., Johnson, C.L., Carroll, M.D., Curtin, L.R., & Flegal K.M.

(2004, June 16). Prevalence of overweight and obesity among US

children, adolescents, and adults, 1999-2002. The Journal of the American Medical

Association, 291(23), 2847-2850.

Jefferies, S. (2009, January/February). School boarding 101: winning friends and

influencing people. Strategies, 22(3), 35-37.

Macedo, D. (2010, September 27). Advocates debate using advertising in

schools to raise funds in budget crisis.

McComb, J. (2011, July 26). Telephone interview.

Story, M., Kaphingst, K.M., & French, S. (2006). The role of schools in obesity

prevention. The Future of Children, 16(1), 109-131.

Wiley, D.C., & Howard-Barr, E.M. (2005). Advocacy to action: addressing

coordinated school health program issues with school

boards. Journal of School Health, 75(1), 6-11.

31


Health & Medicine

Promoting positive advertising in your local school district final draft