Scott Barr from Luce, Mackinac, Alger, and Schoolcraft (LMAS) Health Department shines an ultraviolet light on second-grader Austin Hepker's hands Wednesday, November 4, to reveal any dirt and germs he may have missed while washing his hands. The demonstration was part of a presentation given by the representatives from LMAS at St. Ignace schools, teaching youngsters to wash their hands and cover their coughs to fight germs that cause illness in schools. Students at St. Ignace Elementary School received a fun, participatory tutorial on hand washing and germ control on Wednesday, November 4, from the "flu fighters" of the Luce, Mackinac, Alger, and Schoolcraft (LMAS) District Health Department.

This germ-fighting program is being offered to all school districts in the area and, through group activities and a short video, educates students about what germs are, how to cover coughs, proper hand washing, and the use of hand sanitizers. In St. Ignace, students from kindergarten through fourth grade participated.

At right: Linda Smith from LMAS Health Department helps second and third-graders at St. Ignace Elementary School trace their hands and color germs on paper. The activity was part of the "flu fighters" presentation given by LMAS to students through fourth grade. Children learned proper hand washing techniques and to cover their coughs and sneezes. The health department has offered these classroom sessions to districts across the service area. After Manistique, St. Ignace was the second district to receive the classes. Children in the United States catc h 6 to 10 colds each year and nearly 22 million student school days are lost each year to the common cold, according to LMAS.

The interactive, one-hour presentation is aimed at students in prekindergarden through fifth grade.

Jennifer Hubble, Scott Barr, and Linda Smith from LMAS helped students at St. Ignace understand how germs are spread and the importance of hand washing. The trio used visual aids to communicate their message, like using a water spray bottle to show how coughs and sneezes propel germs into the air.

The students made armbands to mark the spot where they should cover their face when they sneeze.

Second and third graders passed around little germ bean bags covered with white powder to illustrate how long germs stay on the their hands and how only a thorough hand washing will eliminate the danger.

"They had fun," Mrs. Hubble said as Mrs. Shepard's second grade class left the room. "That's what they need to do - have fun. Not be lectured."

St. Ignace is the second stop for the "flu fighters" after a presentation in Manistique Monday, November 2. This week, a stop is planned in Munising, though no other districts have yet signed up for the educational program.

School districts interested in receiving a visit from the "flu fighters" can call the LMAS District Health Department at (906) 341- 4110.