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Highmark Foundation provides subsidy for online student wellness program

PITTSBURGH (Feb. 14, 2007)

Highmark Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools available free through 2009
Obesity in children and adolescents is a serious health issue. Overweight kids face an increased risk of chronic diseases that can shorten their lives. In fact, the current generation of children is in danger of becoming the first in this country's history to have a shorter lifespan than their parents.

Since schools are seen as the major touch point for obesity prevention, the Highmark Foundation is providing resources needed to help schools provide quality physical activities and improve nutrition choices and education.

The Highmark Foundation, through its Highmark Healthy High 5 initiative, has created a subsidy program so that schools in 49 counties of Pennsylvania can participate in the Highmark Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools program at no cost until Sept. 1, 2009.

The subsidy is available to all school districts in the Highmark Foundation's 49-county Pennsylvania service area who are seeking to improve student wellness in a coordinated and systemic way. The subsidy is awarded on a first come, first served basis, and the goal is to reach a student enrollment of approximately 400,000 at the end of the three years.

"The Highmark Foundation recognizes that state mandates to improve school nutrition and create policies to prevent childhood obesity exert pressure on schools and require additional resources," said Yvonne Cook, president of the Highmark Foundation. "We are very pleased to assist schools as they take steps to improve policies that ultimately help educate children about the importance of living healthy lifestyles."

Developed by InnerLink, Inc., based in Lancaster, Health eTools for Schools is a Web-based portal that provides best practice educational resources and leading edge technology to help schools facilitate policy changes that institute better nutrition and physical activity planning for children.

The content for the Health eTools for Schools online programs relating to nutrition and physical education are evidence-based, aligned with Pennsylvania academic standards, and proven through scientific trial to foster improved nutrition and better understanding of the importance of physical movement. Health eTools for Schools features one-stop access to interdisciplinary research-based best practice curriculum in nutrition, physical education and physical activity.

Content from national partners such as We Can!, SPARK, and Learn to Be Healthy, enable districts to bring nutrition and physical education concepts alive for students in grades K-12.

"Highmark Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools enables mobile data collection of pertinent health and physical fitness screening data on students K-12, using secure, fully encrypted portal technology," said Martha Harris, InnerLink, Inc. co-founder and managing director of Coordinated School Health. "We are looking forward to providing the program to a potential enrollment of 200 school districts that will ultimately result in productive learners with reduced health risks."

For more information about how schools can register for the Highmark Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools program, call 800-988-6983 or visit www.healthetoolsforschools.org.

For a list of Highmark Healthy High 5 Health eTools for Schools participating schools, visit www.highmarkhealthyhigh5.org.

Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge is also underway — Deadline March 16
The Highmark Foundation recently announced another Highmark Healthy High 5 program to help combat the childhood obesity epidemic. The Highmark Healthy High 5 School Challenge is a grant program to help schools implement programs to improve nutrition education, nutrition services or increase opportunities for physical activity or education. All schools – including public, private, parochial and charter schools – within Highmark's 49-county service region are eligible to apply.

A total of $500,000 in grants will be awarded in May 2007 based on the merit of the proposal. The deadline for schools to apply for a grant is March 16, 2007.

Schools interested in applying for a School Challenge grant should visit the Highmark Healthy High 5 Web site at www.highmarkhealthyhigh5.org and download the School Challenge application packet.

About InnerLink, Inc.
Lancaster, Pa.-based InnerLink, Inc. was founded in 2001, and provides a wide range of health and safety technology solutions for schools, communities and health care professionals across the United States.

InnerLink's many products include Web-based wellness curriculum for the education market; portal technology that allows school districts to manage system-wide Coordinated School Health programs, policies and student health records; online personal electronic health records that allow users to manage their own health information and carry it with them 24/7; and portal solutions for organizations and communities to manage disaster preparedness planning, response and recovery.

The company's web site is www.TheInnerLink.com.

About Highmark Healthy High 5
Highmark Healthy High 5 is a five-year, $100 million community initiative of the Highmark Foundation aimed to reverse the current trends in children's health and to promote lifelong healthy habits in children throughout its 49-county service area. Highmark Healthy High 5 will address five critical children's health issues including nutrition, physical activity, self-esteem, grieving and bullying — through education, communications, volunteerism, grants and programming.

About the Highmark Foundation
The Highmark Foundation is an affiliate of Highmark Inc. and was created to support initiatives and programs aimed to improve community health. The Foundation is a charitable organization and a private foundation. The Foundation seeks to improve the health, well-being and quality of life for individuals who reside in the 49 Pennsylvania counties served by Highmark.

For more information, contact:
Kristin Ioannou
Highmark Foundation
412-544-7643
kristin.ioannou@highmark.com

Mark Vogel
InnerLink, Inc.
717-509-5759
mvogel@innerlinkit.com