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Clarks Summit student wins state title in poster competition
Cancer Answers
Green Scene
June 11, 2015
Made in the Shade
ON THE INSIDE News from the NE Regional Cancer Institute Page 2
SUBURBAN
by Stephanie Longo
ABINGTON SUBURBAN EDITOR
A chance glance at an app during her spring break led Clarks Summit rising eighth-grader Isabel Hou to a state title in the Shade Foundation’s annual “SunWise” poster contest. Hou was checking the ultraviolet (UV) index when the notification popped up on her smartphone, telling her about the contest, which asked students from across the country to come up with a catchy poster to educate their peers about the risks of sun exposure and what can be done about it. The contest is a collaboration between the Shade Foundation of America and the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) SunWise program. Organizers say that the goal of the contest is to raise awareness about sun safety and promote creative health and environmental education for students from kindergarten through eighth grade in American schools. The Shade Foundation of America is the only national children’s foundation devoted to skin cancer education and prevention, and its mission is to eradicate skin cancer and melanoma through the education of children’ parents, teachers and the community. “The irony about this contest is that the last day of submission was the day after we came back from spring break, so Isabel had less than 24 hours to send in something,” said her mother, Anne Hou. “As a parent, I had my doubts that she could come up with something in such a short time frame, but she did. She made me go to the post office to send it by the postmarked date. We didn’t think much about it until we received the congratulatory email.” Each state winner of the SunWise poster contest wins a box of Sun Safety kits and has the winning poster displayed on the EPA’s Sunwise UV index mobile app. Hou’s poster contains a beach background with a teenager texting from underneath
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a palm tree. The text messages contain some “sunwise” tips, such as checking the UV index, wearing sunscreen and protective clothing when outdoors and avoiding tanning beds. A duo of dolphins spread the message that “skin cancer is avoidable” and an airplane carries a banner proclaiming that “to be sunsmart is to be sunwise.” And, of course, a smiling sun with UV-coated sunglasses completes the work. “It’s important to be sunwise because skin cancer is preventable,” Isabel Hou said. “However, the statistics are quite disturbing. One out of five children will develop skin cancer as adults — that’s 20 percent. When I was younger, I always questioned the need for sunscreen, even on a cloudy day. Now I understand as I Isabel Hou of Clarks Summit shows off her state award-winning poster learn more.” for the Shade Foundation’s annual SunWise poster contest. Hou readily admits her passion for art and “As parents, we are proud that Isabel takes is currently a student at the Abington Art Studio in Clarks Summit, where she has studied for the initiative to read about issues that are importhe past three years. She also won a Gold Key in tant, especially when it concerns one’s health,” the regional Scholastic Art and Writing contest. Anne Hou said. “Also, at the last minute, she She is a member of the Johns Hopkins Center managed to complete the poster, as she felt she for Talented Youth Gifted Program and plays had a message and really wanted to share it. We the piano, having performed at Carnegie Hall in admire her determination.” For more information on the Shade Foundathe past. She also won a prize in the Lackawanna tion, visit shadefoundation.org. County “Big Idea” contest for kids.