Christine Munchak is the president of the Pennsylvania Parent Teacher Association (PTA), which has nearly 100,000 citizen members across the state. She has been an active PTA member and child advocate for the past 17 years, and has been integral to Pennsylvania PTA's increased work on environmental and public health issues in recent years.

How do you see environmental issues fitting into PTA’s mission?

While PTA is an educational organization, part of our mission is to protect children and families throughout the state. Poor environmental conditions negatively affect everyone’s health, and especially children’s. By working to improve these conditions, through legislation, education, and particularly our own actions, we can protect children and further our mission.

How do you see the Clean Vehicles Program benefitting PTA’s members?

Everyone can benefit from a safer environment. If our members are healthy, they can accomplish more things for children. Children learn from the examples of the adults around them. With asthma being one of the most prevalent pediatric conditions today, better air quality should assist in keeping more children out of hospitals and in classrooms during the school year.

What do you think are some of PA’s other pressing environmental issues?

Energy conservation and recycling are issues that have been addressed sufficiently but every generation needs to be reminded of them. Individuals, organizations, businesses, schools and communities can all take small steps to improve our environment by taking small, conscious measures. In some states, students are required to return home with everything they bring for lunch, whether it’s a thermos and container or a juice box and a few plastic bags. Simple steps like these force parents and students to make sensible environmental choices.

What are some of PTA’s other priorities right now?

Pennsylvania PTA always prioritizes increasing parental involvement in education because research shows when parents are involved, students achieve more. Attendance and graduation rates increase and problem behaviors decrease. Currently, we are also focusing on improving school nutrition programs and combating the childhood obesity epidemic. As with environmental issues, this has a serious impact on children’s health and their ability to succeed. It’s also costing our society financially. We’re advocating adequate funding of education, and we support studies to determine how much money is actually required for education. And we support maintaining the arts in education because research also shows that children who participate in the arts do better in school.

How do you recommend citizens get more involved with local PTA chapters?

Anyone can access information about their nearest PTA by logging on to www.pta.org and entering in the name of the school or community they’re affiliated with. They can also request information to start a local unit at their school, day care, or community center by calling our state PTA office at 717-564-8985 or e-mailing . The best way to get involved is to ask questions at their child, grandchild or neighbor’s school. PTA welcomes everyone concerned about children and appreciates those individuals who can volunteer time to assist or advocate.