VAN NUYS, CA — On May 14th, California Safe Schools will present their 2nd Annual "United for Safety" Environmental Conference at Van Nuys High School. The event will focus on programs and policies implemented within school districts, as well as at the city, county and state level that protect human health and the environment.

'This conference will give elected officials and regulators a chance to speak directly to the public whose environment they protect," said Robina Suwol, Executive Director of California Safe Schools (CSS), a children‚s health advocacy group focusing on pesticide use at schools. "Often individuals are unaware of the pressures schools, and local and state officials face in policy decisions. We are hosting this event because being informed is critical to achieving the best health for everyone involved with school districts , especially our children who are the most vulnerable."

The conference will take place in the recently remodeled auditorium of Van Nuys High. "The selection of Van Nuys High School Auditorium is a prime example of how community involvement and cooperation can improve students‚ lives," noted Suwol. "With the help of Los Angeles Unified Schools District Boardmember Julie Korenstein, parents, and the generous donation by Gail Zappa, this almost 100 year old auditorium has been transformed into one of the finest theatres in Southern California." The renovations include a state of the art lighting and sound system that surpass some professional theaters.

Speakers will include:

Cindy Montanez, California Assemblymember, Lloyd Levine, California Assemblymember; Tony Cardenas, Los Angeles City Councilman, Julie Korenstein, Los Angeles Unified Boardmember; Bill Jones, Environmental Protection Agency, Region IX; Angelo Bellomo, LAUSD Director of Environmental Health & Safety; Jane Williams, Executive Director of California Communities Against Toxics; Nita Davidson, California Department of Pesticide Regulations; Robert Hamm, Los Angeles Unified, Deputy Director of Maintenance & Operations; Martha Powell, Principal, Aldama Elementary (National Green Flag School & National Geographic Green School); and Danny Villanueva, of the Los Angeles County Office of Education.

California Safe Schools is a non-profit organization internationally celebrated for protecting school children from pesticides. A coalition of more than fifty organizations and many individuals, CSS lead a successful campaign to implement the safest pesticide policy ever adopted in the United States protecting 800,000 children in the nation‚s second-largest school district. The policy was the first in the United States to embrace the "Precautionary Principle" and Parents Right to Know of chemicals used in or around school campuses. This policy has become a national model for school districts and communities.

Seating is limited - Registration required

For more information, contact:

Robina Suwol
Executive Director
California Safe Schools
818-785-5515
schoolipm (at) earthlink.net
_www.calisafe.org