Media Tips to Promote the 'Fish School' Project

Many of your fellow citizens will know little about the benefits and risks of eating fish. The Fish School project offers an excellent opportunity for you and your students to do a tremendous public service in your community by educating them so that they can make wise decisions about the fish they catch, purchase, prepare, and consume. Your students' projects will help draw attention to this important health issue. You can reach a broader audience by communicating with your local media outlets. Here are some suggestions.

To Begin

Find out which local reporters/writers typically cover public health issues

• Local newspaper, news stations, morning shows and your local PBS station

Prepare a story you can share with the media/community members

• Who: Your school and other partners' involvement
• What: Describe the issue that your students are addressing to inform the public, including the effects of contaminants and ways people can minimize risks
• Where: Talk about the fish consumed in your community
• When: Now, and the genetic effects on offspring in future generations
• Why: Fish are a very nutritious food; yet if they are contaminated people need to know how to wisely choose the fish they eat and properly prepare and cook it.

Creating Awareness

• Contact the media at least one week before your students' “health expo.” Encourage reporters to attend the presentation/exhibit and to write or speak about the experience.

• Describe the public health issue
• Talk about ways your students are getting the word out to the community about actions they can take to improve their health
• Offer them background reading based on fact sheets from the workshop

• Effects on pregnant and nursing mothers
• Effects on children
• The nutritional benefits of fish
• Recommended fish based on state advisories

Provide them with photos that illustrate your students in action as they create and deliver public health messages

• Follow-up with your media contacts

If media writers/reporters have any additional questions, we will be glad to serve as technical resources. They can contact the following Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Program staff:

Leslie Dorworth, Aquatic Ecologist, 219-989-2726 or
Robin Goettel, Communications Coordinator, 217-333-9448

Community Outreach to Inform Public about Fish Consumption and Health Issues

If possible, arrange for students to present at a local venue (library, school auditorium, shopping mall, etc.) where community members can learn about the fish contaminant issue from your students

Community health fairs are an excellent venue for setting up an information station or booth to showcase student projects. For ideas, check the Web and consult your local hospital, medical clinic, Public Health District, American Red Cross, Mental health agencies, Child referral agencies, United Way .

Festivals such as Fiesta del Sol in Chicago; Wetlands, Wind and Water Festival at Wolf Lake provide the opportunity for hundreds of people to learn about this important health and nutrition topic.

To reach anglers, you can present at large fishing and outdoors shows for the public. Most are listed on ChicagoFishingLinks.com. Just a few examples include Chicagoland Outdoors Show in Rosemont in January, The Hammond Outdoor Sports Show in January, the Porter County Boat Show in Indiana , Northwest Indiana Steelheaders Spring Fever Outdoor Show in February in Valparaiso .

Involve your park district, family fitness center (YMCA, etc), 4-H, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, and Boys and Girls Clubs in the planning of this student information-sharing event

Touch base with the ‘ Fish School ' project contacts located at the end of your teacher resource notebook.