Press Releases  |  In The News  |  Awards/Recognition  |  People Are Saying  |  Contact

Press Releases back to listings 

Winner of the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund - December 9, 2008
Kathy Hootman Honored with $5,000 Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund Award
December 9, 2008

Sanger, Texas Resident Wins Cash Award To Develop A Healthy Lifestyle Course For Girls


(New York, NY, December 9, 2008) - Sanger, Texas resident Kathy Hootman, 47, is one step closer to fulfilling her dream of creating a better tomorrow for her community. Kathy was named this week’s winner of the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund, a weekly $5,000 cash award program from Avon Products, Inc. to support individuals in their work to empower women. She is the eighth recipient of a Hello Tomorrow Fund award in Texas since the program launched in 2007, and was selected by a newly expanded panel of judges that now includes Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, and actress Phylicia Rashad. Kathy will use her award to support a healthy lifestyle class for sixth-grade girls at Clear Creek Intermediate School in Sanger, Texas.

Unhealthy lifestyle habits in children and young adults are growing more common in the United States, and can result in Type 2 diabetes, thyroid and heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol. According to the Center for Disease Control, the epidemics of obesity and the low level of physical activity among young people may be major contributors to the increase in Type 2 Diabetes during childhood and adolescence. Additionally, the American Heart Association Scientific Position says that elevated cholesterol levels early in life may play a role in the development of heart disease.

Kathy has taught in the Sanger, Texas school district for 23 years. Each year, Kathy leads activities to teach and empower her students and has supported programs on community affairs and the environment, as well as science. In addition to her science background – the focus of her teachings – Kathy also holds a degree in Consumer and Home Economics and has taught classes in nutrition, exercise, health, self-improvement, and self image. A significant number of Kathy’s students at the Clear Creek Intermediate School have unhealthy eating habits and don’t engage in regular physical activity, causing weight issues and health concerns. As a result, many of these young girls have poor self-images and lack self confidence.

Utilizing her comprehensive expertise, Kathy decided to create the curriculum for a health education course to encourage her 12-year old female students to make healthier lifestyle choices. “Most of the students do not know the impact these poor habits can have on their lifelong health,” says Kathy. Kathy’s program will be offered as an elective class at Clear Creek Intermediate School and will reach as many as 50 sixth-grade girls over the course of the school year. The course will begin in the 2009 school year and continue throughout the term. The class will touch upon topics including proper eating habits and appropriate portion sizes, exercise programs, meditation, and improved self-image through self awareness.

With help from the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund, Kathy will be able to purchase a computer for the program, establish reusable teaching materials, and acquire the necessary resources to prepare her daily classes. In addition to traditional teaching methods, the class will offer interactive elements, including healthy cooking sessions, simple but effective exercise routines, and even participate in screenings for diabetes as well as elevated cholesterol, blood pressure, and thyroid levels. Guest speakers and professionals in the health field, such as nurses, will add real-world insight to the curriculum. Kathy says that beyond helping the girls to understand the importance of taking care of their bodies, “these girls will have families and daughters to which they will, in turn, teach these habits.”

Kathy’s winning application to the Avon Hello Tomorrow Fund met the criteria of clearly presenting unique and achievable objectives to empower women or girls and ultimately improve society. It was selected from a pool of strong contenders by an expert panel of judges, including personal finance expert Suze Orman, actress Phylicia Rashad, Sarah Ferguson, The Duchess of York, and experts in business and grantmaking. “This single idea can have a big, long-term impact,” commented judge Carol Kurzig on Kathy’s proposal.

back to listings