Health Education: Elementary and Middle School Applications

About the Author

Susan Telljohann

Susan K. Telljohann, HSD, CHES, is a Professor of Health Education at The University of Toledo. She received her doctoral degree in health sciences from Indiana University with an emphasis on school and college health education. Her experience in health education spans over 25 years, including health instruction from the junior high to the university level. She has done research and published over 60 articles on health education in professional journals, presented over 50 papers at professional conferences, and is the co-author of the HealthSmart K-12 curriculum and Teach and Reach health series published by ETR Associates. She served as the President of the American School Health Association from 2000-2001, was the Contributing Editor for the Teaching Ideas Column in the American Journal of Health Education, and has served on many professional health education committee throughout her professional career. She served on the Board of Directors for the American Association of Health Education and is on the National Health Education Standards Revision Committee. She is the recipient of several honors and awards, including the Distinguished Service Award from both the American School Health Association and the American Association of Health Education, The Howe Award from the American School Health Association, The University of Toledo Outstanding Teacher Award, the Phi Delta Kappa Educator of the Year Award, the Patty Outstanding Alumni Award from Indiana University, and the Ohio Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance Outstanding Young Professional Award.

Cynthia Symons

Cynthia Symons is a Professor of Health Education in the Department of Adult Counseling, Health, and Vocational Education at Kent State University. She received her D.Ed. and M.Ed. in Health Education from The Pennsylvania State University and earned her undergraduate degree from Lock Haven University, also in Pennsylvania. She has a Permanent Teaching Certificate in health and physical education in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (Grades K-12) and is a Certified Health Education Specialist. Dr. Symons received the Distinguished Service Award from the American School Health Association in 1994, and served as the President of that professional association in 2001-2002. She has received the Distinguished Teaching Award from Kent State University, and was recognized by the Commonwealth of Kentucky as an official “Kentucky Colonel” for collaborative health promotion initiatives on behalf of children and youth. Dr. Symons has taught health and physical education at grades 7-12, and returned to the ranks of public school teaching (grades K- 3 health education) during a sabbatical leave from her current position at Kent State University. In addition to publishing in refereed journals, and presenting at numerous state and national meetings, she collaborated in the development of "Children's Literature for Health Awareness" a resource text published by Scarecrow Press.

Beth Pateman

Beth Pateman is Interim Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Professor of Health Education in the Institute for Teacher Education, College of Education, University of Hawaii at Manoa (UHM). She received her H.S.D. and M.P.H. from Indiana University, with emphases in school and college health and public health education. Dr. Pateman has taught health education in grades K-8 and at the university level. Before coming to Hawaii, Dr. Pateman worked with the Division of Adolescent and School Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where she served as the CDC Project Officer for the first School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) in 1994. Dr. Pateman also taught in the School of Public Health, Emory University, and in the Department of Health Science Education, University of Florida. She received the Distinguished Service Award from the American School Health Association in 2000.

Denise Seabert

Denise Seabert, PhD, has been preparing health teachers and providing in-service trainings for teachers and other school personnel for more than 20 years. Her career has been dedicated to professional preparation of health educators through service to state and national organizations and initiatives as well as textbook authorship. Denise provided leadership in Indiana’s obesity prevention efforts, HIV education for teachers, and academic standards for health and wellness. Currently she serves on the Eta Sigma Gamma National Health Education Honorary Executive Board and National Committee on the Future of School Health. She has served on the Board of Directors for the American School Health Association, NCHEC’s Division Board for Certified Health Education Specialists, and was a member of the CDC’s Training Tools for Healthy Schools national training cadre. Denise is professor emeritus at Ball State University.  She joined the University of West Florida as Dean, Usha Kundu, MD College of Health in July 2018. Dr. Seabert received her BAEd in School Health Education from Western Washington University, MS in School and College Health from Indiana University, and PhD in Health Behavior with a minor in Curriculum from the University of Florida.