4th Graders learn handwashing is a must

November 19, 2015

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During the fall and winter months when the students are indoors most, if not all, of the time, there is an increase of illnesses that spread through the school.

Recently Deb Schroeder from the Cuming County Extension Service presented a program on handwashing to the fourth graders. Handwashing is one way to help students avoid some illnesses. 

Students were asked to wash their hands, and all the students thought they did a good job of washing their hands until they put them under the ultraviolet light. If they had any blue showing up on their hands, it was an indication that they had not done as good of a job as they thought. To do an effective job, students needed to agitate their hands using warm water and soap for 20 seconds or comparable to singing the Happy Birthday song twice.

A surprising fact for the students was that germs double in amount every 20 minutes. Just imagine how many germs could be hanging around in school. Another interesting fact was that hand sanitizers need at least a 60 percent alcohol content to be effective. Some students found that their personal hand sanitizers did not contain that amount. 

Mrs. Schroeder gave each student a fun packet to complete to help each one remember facts about handwashing.