Why is sun safety important?
Arizona ranks No. 2 in the world in skin cancer incidence rates (Australia is No.1).The majority of a person’s lifetime sun exposure occurs by the time he or she is 18.Therefore, reducing sun exposure during childhood is crucial to lowering skin cancer rates.

Is SunWise education now a law?
Yes, the SunWise Program is now a state mandate for all k-8 public and charter schools.This means that all k-8 public and charter school educators are required to incorporate the SunWise Program into their existing curricula.

How do I get the Sunwise Curriculum?
At the request of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the SunWise curriculum activities are no longer available at this site. To accommodate the needs of Arizona educators in meeting their sun safety mandate, the Arizona Department of Heath Services will e-mail the activities to any Arizona educator. Please e-mail Sharon McKenna at mckenns@azdhs.gov with your name and school and indicate what grades you would like the curriculum for. Every activity card lists the estimated time, learning objective, directions and discussion points to confidently and successfully teach your students sun safety without any prior knowledge. Activities range from 20 minutes to an hour. 

Contact: SunWise Program Coordinator Sharon McKenna at mckenns@azdhs.gov, 602-364-3143, 800-367-6412

Note: "SunWise" and "SunWise, a School Program that Radiates Good Ideas" are trademarks of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency."