AAD Awards 26 Shade Structure Grants to Protect America's Youth

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) has awarded Shade Structure grants to 26 schools and nonprofit organizations across the country.

The AAD awarded its 2018 AAD Shade Structure grants to the following organizations:

Alabama

         Buhl Elementary School, Buhl,

        Sponsored by Karen Walker, MD, FAAD

         Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Alabama Inc., Brookside,

        Sponsored by Robert Henderson Jr., MD, FAAD

Arizona

         Vistancia Elementary School, Peoria,

        Sponsored by James Pehoushek, MD, FAAD

         Fremont Junior High School, Mesa,

        Sponsored by James Young, MD, FAAD

         Carson Junior High School, Mesa,

        Sponsored by Howard Donsky, MD, FAAD

         Mountain View Preparatory School, Cottonwood,

        Sponsored by Carin Cain, MD, FAAD

California

         CHAMPS Charter High School of the Arts, Van Nuys,

        Sponsored by Michael Lin, MD, FAAD

         Del Rey Elementary School, Orinda,

        Sponsored by Maryam Asgari, MD, FAAD

         Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica, Santa Monica,

        Sponsored by Nita Patel, MD, FAAD

         Cuyamaca College Child Development Center, El Cajon,

        Sponsored by Michael Thoene, MD, FAAD

Colorado

         Montrose Botanical Society, Montrose,

        Sponsored by Renata Raziano, MD, FAAD

         John McConnell Math and Science Center, Grand Junction,

        Sponsored by Amy Paul, MD, FAAD

         Corpus Christi Catholic School, Colorado Springs,

        Sponsored by Christopher Sartori, MD, FAAD

         Warren Tech High School, Lakewood,

        Sponsored by Harvey Arbuckle, MD, FAAD

District of Columbia

         Robert Brent Elemenatary PTA, Washington, C.

        Sponsored by Scott Norton, MD, FAAD

Florida

         Marco Island Academy, Marco Island,

        Sponsored by Daniel Wasserman, MD, FAAD

         R. Arnold High School, Panama City Beach, Fla.

       Sponsored by Robert Siragusa, MD, FAAD

Hawaii

         Island Pacific Academy, Kapolei, Hawaii

        Sponsored by Alex Carcamo, MD, FAAD

Illinois

         Gus and Flora Kerasotes YMCA, Springfield,

        Sponsored by Stephen Stone, MD, FAAD

Missouri

         Hannibal Regional Hospital, Hannibal,

        Sponsored by Linda Cooke, MD, FAAD

New Jersey

         Seth Boyden Elementary Demonstration School, Maplewood, J.

        Sponsored by Michael Ehrenreich, MD, FAAD

Pennsylvania

         City of Bethlehem Health Bureau, Bethlehem,

        Sponsored by David Vasily, MD, FAAD

Texas

         Wilma Fisher Elementary Parent Teacher Association, Frisco, Texas

        Sponsored by Lucy Li, MD, FAAD

         Oak Hill Elementary PTA, Austin, Texas

        Sponsored by Mary Ann Martinez, MD, FAAD

         Holy Cross Christian Academy, Burleson, Texas

        Sponsored by Angela Shedd, MD, FAAD

         Armed Services YMCA El Paso, El Paso, Texas

        Sponsored by Brett Ozanich, MD, FAAD

Since its launch in 2000, the AAD’s Shade Structure Grant Program has awarded 368 shade structure grants. The structures supported by the program provide shade for more than 880,000 individuals each day.

“Sun exposure is the most preventable risk factor for skin cancer, and shade is such a simple way to reduce that risk starting at an early age,” says board-certified dermatologist Suzanne M. Olbricht, MD, FAAD, president of the AAD, in a news release. “The AAD is proud to help these organizations provide permanent shade structures that allow children to play outdoors while staying safe from the sun’s harmful UV rays.”

AAD member dermatologists play an integral role in the program by encouraging local organizations to apply for the grants and by writing letters of support, a requirement for consideration of applications. The program is open to nonprofit organizations that serve children and teens under the age of 18 and have incorporated a sun safety program into their activities for at least one year. Grants are available for permanent shade structures over outdoor locations that are not protected from the sun, such as playgrounds, pools and eating areas.

For organizations interested in offering a sun safety program, the AAD has developed a curriculum for 8- to 13-year-olds to promote healthy self-esteem through education about skin, hair and nails. The Good Skin Knowledge lesson plans and accompanying activities include sun safety education, which meets the Shade Structure Grant Program’s sun safety requirement when in place for one year prior to application.

The AAD’s Shade Structure Grant Program is financially supported by the AAD and its members’ contributions. This program is part of the AAD’s SPOT Skin Cancer™ campaign to create a world without skin cancer through public awareness, community outreach programs and services, and advocacy that promote the prevention, detection and care of skin cancer.