Harbor Hospital Initiates New Health Program For Cherry Hill Schools

BALTIMORE (WJZ)—Just days before city schools start classes, four schools are getting some help improving their students' health.

Andrea Fujii explains how Harbor Hospital plans to help 1,400 children in Cherry Hill.

A lesson in how to stay germ-free: glowing hands under infrared light mean they're dirty. It's an example of how Arundel Elementary Middle and three other Cherry Hill schools will benefit from a new program from Harbor Hospital.

"We recognize that this is a special community with special needs and a number of kids that deserve to have quality health care," said Dennis Pullin, Harbor Hospital president.

One registered hospital nurse will oversee four schools as their health educator.

"Issues like diabetes, childhood obesity, asthma; those are issues in every school," said Meg Miller, hospital community relations.

And at each school, they'll create a team of parents, staff and school nurses to identify their specific needs.

With the help of Bank of America's contribution of $50,000,the hospital hopes to eventually expand the program.

"We can teach them at school and hopefully have that translate into what they do at home," said Pullin.

That will keep students healthy to leave more time for learning.

The other schools in the program include Cherry Hill and Woodson Elementary-Middle Schools and Patapsco Elementary.