ADVISORY/Superintendent Challenges California Schools to Shape Up at Press Conference Thursday, August 28.

News Editors/Assignment Desks/Education Writers

ADVISORY...for Thursday (August 28)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)

WHAT:       Reading, writing and arithmetic won't be the only things
            on educators' minds as students throughout the state
            return to school. State Superintendent Jack O'Connell is
            challenging school administrators to also make nutrition
            and physical fitness a priority in every school as part of
            the "Superintendent's Challenge" he'll be introducing this
            afternoon. O'Connell will be joined by Sen. Tom Torlakson
            (D-Antioch) and regional school district superintendents
            already moving to make their schools healthier.

WHY:        Three of every four California students are unfit and more
            than a quarter are overweight according to a recent study
            of 5th, 7th and 9th graders. That health crisis, along
            with recent studies linking good nutrition and fitness
            with improved academic performance, make schools an ideal
            place to begin addressing and correcting this epidemic.

WHO:

            --  Jack O'Connell, State Superintendent of Instruction

            --  State Sen. Tom Torlakson, Chairman of the Task Force
                on Youth and Workplace Wellness

            --  Arlene Ackerman, Superintendent, San Francisco School
                District

            --  Marlene Canter, Los Angeles Unified School District
                Board member

            --  Cathleen Toomey, Director of Communications,
                Stonyfield Farm

WHERE:      Aptos Middle School Cafeteria (check-in at front office)
            105 Aptos Ave., San Francisco, California

WHEN:       Thursday, August 28, 2003 - 1 p.m.

PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES:

            --  Elected and school officials, students and parents
                address the growing childhood obesity epidemic and how
                schools can help correct that problem

            --  Healthy foods are a hit! Higher sales and profits are
                the reality at the Aptos snack bar which now only
                offers healthy fare

            --  A busy cafeteria crowded with hungry students

            --  A showcase of healthy alternative snack foods being
                sold on innovative San Francisco school campuses

            --  Parents whose aggressive lobbying led to dramatic
                nutrition improvements on the Aptos campus point out
                the improvements that have been made