Healthy Schools Initiative
As stated in our mission, SJEJA aims to build
alliances and coalitions to improve the health
and physical environment for residents of poor and minority
communities who are often burdened with toxic pollution
that is detrimental to their health and well being. The Healthy
Schools Initiative is an important part in this overall objective.
Camden, NJ has many serious
social and environmental problems. It is well-documented
that poverty rates are high and the overall achievement records
of Camden schools are not acceptable. (See, Camden
Kids Count) It is our goal to focus on health
issues in schools.
The Camden County Department of
Health and
Human Services is aware of lead contamination associated
with schools' public water supply as well as air and
noise pollution and other environmental issues that may lead
to health problems or lower academic performance. The need
to educate the school superintendents on the need to test
the water supply for lead contamination, and if contaminated,
assistance is available for remediation. >>> more
 Camden Kids Count 2004, produced by CAMConnect
in partnership with the Association for Children of New
Jersey, provides
an exellent snapshot of child well-being in one of New Jersey’s
most impoverished cities. It is clear from the data that
the children of this city are suffering from many disadvantages.
For example the report reveals staggering statistics of concentrated
poverty: "Camden City claims the highest percentage of children
growing in poverty, when compared to every other city in
the state. In 2000, 45 percent of the city’s total child
population lived in families that lacked the resources to
provide their basic needs. This exceeds the percent of children
in poverty in 25 of New Jersey’s most impoverished cities,
including Asbury Park (39%) and Newark (36%).
The report links poverty data to school achievement as they
claim: "Poverty Sets Stage for School Failure
In the 2002-2003 school year, more than half of the city’s
fourth-graders failed both the language arts (55.1%) and
math (58.1%) portion of the statewide tests. Nearly threequarters
failed the 8th grade language arts and math tests
in the same year, while more than 85 percent failed the
math test. More than 76 percent of 11th graders failed the
math portion of the graduation tests, while 58 percent
failed the language arts tests."
>>> READ
THE FULL REPORT (41 pages, pdf)
>>> compare
the Camden Kids data to national statistics (AECF)
>>> see also our
brochure from a previous SJEJA Planning Conference (11/2006)
>>> read Bill Wolfe's "Tale
of Two Toxic Schools" (NJ Voices,
2/20/2008) 
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Below are pictures from a well-attended EJ
Conference, Common Ground, organized
by Rutgers students. Many high schools students from the
city and nearby towns attended the event as well as college
students from New Brunswick and Newark. Many SJEJA members
were invited presenters.
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Rutgers-Newark student activists |
Camden
HS students listen to SJEJA speaker |
Dr. Nogaki explains a scientific principle |
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