Tavelli Elementary is so fortunate to have Program Energy in our classrooms this year.  Their presence in our school brings energy and excitement from the CSU students, professors, scientists, chefs, and guest speakers.  Children are having fun while learning science, nutrition, and body awareness.  Following is a brief description of Program Energy, and the people who bring this program to us.  Currently, Progran ENERGY is involved with all 2nd, 4th, and 6th grade students.
 
 

Program ENERGY was developed to address the increased incidence of type 2 diabetes and overweight/obesity in elementary school children.  An integrated science education enrichment approach is used as a prevention method in 2nd through 6th grade classrooms.  Program ENERGY results from an active partnership between educators, university scientists and students, museums, state agencies and a variety of businesses and donors.

Dr. Arthur Campfield and Ms. Francoise Smith established the program in 2001 with funding from a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) through the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR), National Institutes of Health (NIH).  The success of the initial program led to a renewal of funding from the SEPA program in 2004 for a grant period through 2009 and a grant from the American Honda Foundation.  Program ENERGY has been effective in producing significant increases in health and science knowledge, attitudes, and health behaviors in program participants.
 
 

PROGRAM ENERGY IS

· Obesity and type 2 diabetes prevention through science enrichment in elementary schools.

· Teaching children and their families to live a healthy lifestyle with healthy eating and active living.  Hands on science and scientists in theclassroom.

· Weekly classroom (60 min) and physical (30-min) activities and science museum visits.

· Inquiry-based educational enrichment in science and math using disease-related examples and exercises.

· Awareness of science/health careers.

· Active partnership between educators, Colorado State University scientists and students that is increasing health and science knowledge and health behaviors.

· An effective obesity and diabetes prevention program developed through NCRR, SEPA, NIH funding.
 
 

Following is a brief Biography of the Developers of Program ENERGY.  We have enjoyed their presence here at Tavelli, and are impressed with their knowledge and the methods they share and teach to our students.

Thank you Program ENERGY!

L. Arthur Campfield, Ph.D., is a Professor of the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in the College of Applied Human Sciences at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO. Since relocating to Colorado in April 1999, he has devoted himself to the dissemination of scientific knowledge and expertise in nutrition and obesity and its health risks to children, adolescents and the community.

Dr. Campfield is an internationally recognized expert in obesity, the central regulation of food intake and energy balance, the health risks of obesity and the combined pharmacological and behavioral treatment of obesity. He spent 4 years leading an international, multidisciplinary scientific team that discovered and developed long-acting leptin.

Dr. Campfield has published many professional papers, abstracts, book chapters and proceeding papers. He gives lectures and symposium presentations to audiences around the country and the world. He is a practitioner and teacher of science, nutrition, health promotion, obesity and its etiology, health risks, treatment and prevention, physiology, neuroscience and neuroscience. He speaks frequently to audiences ranging from students to the elite physicians and researchers in many countries on nutrition, health promotion, and obesity prevention and treatment.
 
 

Françoise Smith, M.S., joined the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition in October 2000. Françoise is a native of France and received her degrees as medical technologist and a M.S. in biology and biochemistry from the Institut Nationale de Chimie and the Ecole Superieure de Biochime et Biologie in Paris. Françoise has broad experience as a scientist in physiology, nutrition and neuroscience in basic and clinical research. Also, she has designed and taught laboratory courses in biology and metabolic physiology to undergraduates.

She held positions in Paris at the Faculty of Medicine, Hopital Necker, Pasteur Institute and the College de France. Since moving to the US in 1974, she has worked at UCLA (school of medicine and bioengineering), Cedars-Sinai Hospital, Northwestern University (school of medicine and Technological Institute), Hoffmann-La Roche (preclinical drug discovery in obesity and diabetes) and the Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. Her collaborative research has been in the field of neural networks in insulin secretion and its role in food intake in diseased states, the biology of hunger, biology and neurobiology of leptin and melanocortin, and clinical trials.