Sullivan 180 Staff Attend National Conferences
Topics covered included school health and parks & recreation
[LIBERTY,NY] Multiple Sullivan 180 team members attended national conferences in October. Staff from the Empowering a Healthier Generation and Community Development Programs immersed in a variety of topics that support prevention, the health of our youth in schools and in their communities.
The 5-member Empowering a Healthier Generation (EHG) team attended the American School Health Association (ASHA) 98th Annual School Health Conference in Pittsburgh, PA from October 16-18th.
The conference brought together a diverse community of school health-related professionals in a collaborative space including educators, principals, school board members, school nurses, social workers, counselors, school-based health center leadership and other experts. ASHA supports school health issues that tie to their mission statement, to transform all schools into places where every student learns and thrives. ASHA supports student-centered, integrated and collaborative approaches that address the needs of the whole child and follow the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model.
“It’s humbling to learn about newly-released national data and trends directly from the Centers for Disease Control, and to engage in discussions with professionals from across the country who are facing challenges very similar to those we encounter here in Sullivan County, NY,” said Meaghan Mullally-Gorr, Sullivan 180 Director of Health & Wellness. “It’s empowering to exchange insights on effective strategies to improve the health of our youth, and to bring those ideas, innovations, and valuable resources back home to put into action.”
Sullivan 180 Director of Community Development & Communications Shannon Cilento attended the National Recreation & Park Association (NRPA) Conference in Atlanta, GA from October 7-10th.
NRPA is the leading national organization dedicated to building strong, vibrant and resilient communities through the power of parks and recreation. NRPA advances this vision by investing in and championing the work of park and recreation professionals as a catalyst for positive change in service of equity, climate-readiness, and overall health and well-being.
“The 2024 conference theme, Where You Belong, explored the power of parks as places for all to recreate, gather, access nature and improve their health,” said Cilento. “We’re fortunate to have such great parks and trails here in Sullivan County and engaged leadership working to improve these places!”
“Investing in professional development is a priority at Sullivan 180. It allows our team to bring back resources and knowledge to share in Sullivan County,” said Denise Frangipane, CEO.