Our Successes

Since its inception in 2002, the Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) has become a leading authority on healthy school environments and a voice for people who care about our environment, our children, and education.

HSC was launched in February 2002 at a summit organized by Citizen Action / Illinois, Safer Pest Control Project and Generation Green. The summit, attended by more than 200 people from 75 organizations, demonstrated the need for an organization dedicated to school health issues.

HSC’s early work focused on environmental health in schools, specifically with regard to the growing crisis of childhood asthma and the increasing health disparities that schoolchildren face. In particular, HSC focused on pesticide use at schools and worked on improving indoor air quality. When parents, teachers and other advocates asked HSC to consider the food and fitness environment in schools, the organization developed programming in the area of school wellness to address the childhood obesity epidemic.

By engaging parents, teachers, community leaders and students in the work of creating healthier environments, HSC built a strong base of support throughout Illinois. As that base has grown, HSC’s work has developed a national scope while maintaining strong local relevance in the communities where the organization began.

Today, HSC continues to advocate for changes that will make a difference for children's health, well-being, and readiness to succeed at school and in life.

The timeline below outlines some of the milestones Healthy Schools Campaign has achieved since 2002.

Do you remember participating in any of these milestones? How has Healthy Schools Campaign’s work affected you?
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