The EPA SunWise Program

The SunWise School Program is an environmental and health education program that aims to teach children and their caregivers how to protect themselves from overexposure to the sun. Through the use of classroom-based, school-based, and community-based components, SunWise seeks to develop sustained sun-safe behaviors in schoolchildren.

SunWise Partner Schools receive materials that facilitate cross-curricular classroom learning. The program also encourages schools to provide a sun-safe infrastructure, including shade structures (e.g., canopies, trees) and policies (e.g., using hats, sunscreen, sunglasses) that promote sun protection in a school setting. Though based in schools, SunWise also supports community partnerships, such as inviting guest speakers to school assemblies, to enhance sun safety efforts.

The goal of this program is to promote sun-safe behavior in children.

The SunWise School Program was pilot tested in 130 schools in 38 states during the 1999-2000 school year. National implementation began in the 2000-2001 school year. As of 2002, data from over 6,000 student pre-tests and post-tests has been analyzed and the results are promising, with four major findings. Children ages 5-12 receiving SunWise education have:

-Marked improvement for all knowledge variables. Identifying that wearing a hat and shirt outside were ways to keep the skin safe from the sun improved overall from 60 percent to 75 percent. Student knowledge of the need for SPF 15 improved from 50 percent at pre-test to 78 percent at post-test. Awareness of the UV Index reading that best correlated with the most optimal sun protection also improved overall from 28 percent to 57 percent.


-Improved attitudes and beliefs about tanning. In particular, from pre-test to post-test, youngest children (ages 5 to 9) experienced a 10 percent decrease in the attitude that a tan is healthy. These findings in students receiving education are in stark contrast to more than 1,000 students in control schools (receiving no education) who had no changes in knowledge or attitudes during this comparable period.


-Fewer sunburns. School nurses at 11 schools in six states surveyed the same children during the 2000-01 and 2001-02 school years. Among the 477 children completing three surveys, gains in knowledge and attitudes were maintained and sunburning rates were lower in the most recent summer (55 percent in summer 2001 compared with 66 percent for summer 2000).


-Stronger intentions to avoid adverse sun exposure. Overall, intentions to play in the shade increased significantly from 70 percent to 76 percent from pre-test to posttest with more substantial differences noted in younger children.