It's one thing to wash hands for hygiene, but for fun?
Fourth-graders at Trewyn Middle School combined the two in a hands-on exercise Monday for the kickoff of 4-H Health Jam, a program promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Sponsored by University of Illinois Extension, with the help of Methodist College of Nursing students and Landmark Racquet and Health Club, about 60 Trewyn students will learn about nutrition, exercise, health care and careers in the health care field over the next nine weeks.
But for a starter, the combination of a glow-in-the-dark lotion that highlights invisible germs when hands are placed beneath an ultraviolet lamp had students running back and forth to restrooms at the nursing school, where the kickoff event was held.
"My hands should be clean now, I've washed them about 10 times," said an obviously exasperated Ky'Aira Peary as she placed her hands under the lamp one last time.
Caitlin Reynolds, a nursing student, told students what she had learned in her nursing classes about the importance of clean hands - always wash for at least 20 seconds. To remember the 20-second rule, sing the Happy Birthday song or the ABCs while washing, she told them.
The program doubles as a community health class for Methodist nursing students. They will develop teaching plans on nutrition and exercise for the students.
"We're trying to stress that nurses don't only help you when you're sick, but that they really do try to help prevent illnesses and promote health," said Paige Staes Whitney, an instructor at the nursing school.
Besides the hand-washing exercise, students participated in a variety of hands-on activities designed to introduce them to healthy choices and careers. Students will spend Tuesday at Landmark for demonstrations on bicycle safety, a Zumba exercise class and discussions with paramedics from Advanced Medical Transport.
The broader goal for the University of Illinois Extension is to help students develop healthy habits that last throughout their lives, reducing the risks of developing chronic diseases.
After the two-day Health Jam, the program moves to once-a-week sessions in the classroom for eight weeks.
Besides cooking and nutrition workshops, students will make their own first-aid kits. They'll also receive pedometers to track how many steps they walk over the next two months.
The goal is for each team of four to complete 448 miles, the equivalent of the length of Illinois.
"But they don't know about that part yet," said Judy Schmidt, an educator for the University of Illinois Extension.
Pam Adams can be reached at 686-3245 or padams@pjstar.com.
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