Recent Stories
October 2, 2017
[ngg_images source=”galleries” container_ids=”14″ display_type=”photocrati-nextgen_basic_imagebrowser” ajax_pagination=”1″ template=”default” order_by=”sortorder” order_direction=”ASC” returns=”included” maximum_entity_count=”500″] Bike safety, bike courses, and free helmets were all on the menu for local kids during the Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market Bike Fest on Monday, September 25, from 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm. Co-sponsored by the Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association (GMTMA), Bike Fest is an annual free community-wide event where kids learned bike safety tips and techniques, as well as demonstrated their bicycle handling skills on a four-station bike course. Last year, nearly 100 local children participated in the event. According to a study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, only 42% of children ages 5-17 wear helmets while riding a bicycle. “Learning about bike safety at a young age is important in reducing the overall injury rate,” said Marissa Davis, project director for New Jersey Partnership for Healthy Kids-Trenton. “Bike riding is fun, but we […]
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October 2, 2017
On Saturday, September 9, Roosevelt Plaza Park was transformed into a music, arts and cultural hub. The City of Camden, Mayor Dana L. Redd and the Connect the Lots Initiative, with the support of Cooper’s Ferry Partnership, hosted the third annual Camden Jam: Arts and Music Festival. The free event featured continuous live music, arts and crafts vendors, kids’ activities, sustainability demonstrations, food trucks and more. This year’s festival was held from 2 pm to 8 p.m. in Roosevelt Plaza Park at Camden City Hall. Camden Jam is the final event of the 2017 Connect the Lots season of special programming. “Camden Jam is only one of many Connect the Lots events and programming that bring Camden youth and families together to experience cultural arts right in their own backyard,” explained Anthony Perno, Chief Executive Officer of Cooper’s Ferry Partnership. “I have seen this event develop and grow from the […]
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October 2, 2017
Healthy lunches don’t have to be boring or redundant! National School Lunch Week (NSLW) is October 9-13, 2017 and this year’s theme is: ‘School Lunch: Recipes for Success’, making it the perfect time for parents to revamp the art of packing lunches. NSLW was created in 1962 by President John F. Kennedy to celebrate the successes of the National School Lunch Program. Here are three easy tips for making lunchtime fun and healthy: Smaller portions and more options – The term ‘bento’ is the Japanese word for a meal in a box with compartments. Utilizing a bento box for lunch time is a great way to keep portion sizes in check while allowing for a variety of foods to eat during meals. Not sure where to start? Here are 20 creative ideas that will inspire you. Avoid white bread – White bread has little nutritional value and eating it often […]
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October 2, 2017
Observed annually from September 15 – October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the history and culture of American citizens with ancestry in Mexico, Cuba, Spain, the Caribbean and both South and Central America. September 15 represents the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and El Salvador. Started in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson and expanded to a full month in 1988, National Hispanic Heritage Month spotlights the impact of Hispanic culture and ancestry with activities, lectures, tours, and events nationwide. According to the CDC, about one out of every six people in the United States is Hispanic, making it the largest racial/ethnic minority group in the US. New Jersey is also the home to a significant number of persons of Latino Hispanic descent, representing 18.9% of the total population.* Along with education, public health is an important issue in the Hispanic community. The CDC […]
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October 2, 2017
Eating healthy doesn’t mean you have to turn your life around. In fact, choosing just one or two “doable” changes beneficial to good health is the better path to wellness according to Susan A. Jones, RDN dietitian, and nutritionist with the Henry J. Austin Health Center. Jones helps families examine their school, work and home routines and their mealtimes and then identify small changes in their food and activity choices. Over time, those small changes can become new healthy habits. Jones shared six doable changes that families can make to eat healthier. She emphasized that all family members need to engage in the changes. “Parents can’t be drinking soda and telling their kids to only drink milk. Parents have to set the example, and the family must work together as a team,” Jones said. Six Doable Changes Find out what kids like: Don’t force alien foods on unwilling children. Talk […]
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October 2, 2017
Dr. Fredrick McDowell is the newly appointed Superintendent of Trenton Public Schools. A native of North Carolina, McDowell is from a family of educators dating back as far as the 1960s through the early 2000s. However, he candidly admits that it wasn’t until later in life that he understood the impact that education has on an individual’s day-to-day life. He most recently served as the Deputy Chief Academic Support Officer for the School District of Philadelphia, which attends to 130,000 students. He started his educational career as a Career and Technical Education Teacher in Durham Public Schools and became Principal in the Boston Public Schools district. In 2013, he became a Denver Public Schools Instructional Superintendent. He is also a 7th Degree Black Belt Grandmaster in Tae Kwon-Do, responsible for the overall development and general training of martial arts instructors and their students. In his short tenure as Trenton’s Superintendent of Schools, he already has embarked on a number of initiatives that are intended to help school leaders grow, and provide a supportive learning atmosphere for student success. […]
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September 5, 2017
With millions of children heading back to school, a healthy environment is essential to a successful school year. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average New Jersey student spends more than six hours a day in school. The healthiest school environments require consistent effort and partnerships with educators, parents, school staff, and community members. The CDC determined that school health programs have positive effects on educational outcomes, health-risk behaviors, and general health outcomes on students – meaning good students are physically and mentally healthy. Here are ten ways to help students have a healthy and productive year in the classroom: Join the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) – Active parent/teacher organizations open the lines of communication and advocate for students. Suggest ways to improve healthy habits at school and in after school programs (think family gym nights or family game nights). Everyone will benefit! Review and update the […]
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September 5, 2017
Carla Bittner, Principal of National Park School, knows that healthy bodies create healthy minds. Over the years, National Park School has become the poster child for making sure students are safe, physically active and fed well so that they can focus on their education. The tiny town of National Park, NJ is approximately one square mile and is surrounded by West Deptford, NJ. The school has 275 students ranging from pre-K to sixth grade. The Road to School Wellness For the past three years, National Park School has received a New Jersey Healthy Communities Network (NJHCN) grant totaling $10,000 per year to implement various school wellness initiatives. “Carla and her team have been very innovative and among the best in implementing healthy sustainable strategies, said Valeria Galarza, senior project manager, Coopers Ferry Partnership and NJHCN Coach. However, their quest to create a healthy school environment started a few years before […]
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September 5, 2017
New Jersey native and former Olympic athlete Joetta Clark Diggs made a special appearance at Trenton’s Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market on Monday, August 28, 2017. The four-time Olympic competitor led an exercise routine and a water balloon toss at 1:00 pm to kick off the free community event. “It was exciting to have Olympian Joetta Clark Diggs join us for the afternoon to lead activities for the community during Water Fest,” said Chelsea Jackson, Greenwood Ave. Farmers Market manager. Clark Diggs is a four-time Olympic runner and founder of the Joetta Clark Diggs Sports Foundation. She also serves as a spokesperson for the Mayors Wellness Campaign, a program of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute. Clark Diggs had a successful 24-year career as a competitive 800-meter and 1500-meter runner, winning many collegiate, national, and world championships. Along with her decorated running career, Clark Diggs is a physical health and […]
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September 5, 2017
More than 50 cyclists and biking enthusiasts gathered in Cooper’s Poynt Waterfront Park in Camden on August 12, 2017, to participate in the inaugural “I Bike Camden” – a fun, family-friendly bicycle ride and community event showcasing the beauty of the City and its growing network of biking trails. “This unique event showcases the beauty of our city from an entirely new perspective – the seat of a bicycle,” said Camden Mayor Dana L. Redd. “Camden’s beautiful bike trails attract cyclists from all over the region – we are proud these trails can be used to explore and discover, while also encouraging people of all ages to get up and enjoy a healthy, active lifestyle.” The community event kicked off with an easygoing, social 10-mile ride (see map attached) around Camden along the city’s Circuit Trails – Greater Philadelphia’s Regional Trail network and one of America’s largest trails networks that […]
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