Though a student might understand the importance of hygiene, local high school students made sure middle schoolers recognize it at Riverside Elementary School.
Students in Scott High School’s medical technology program stopped by the elementary school Thursday to teach students the necessity of hygiene, like washing their hair and brushing their teeth, among other things.
Medical technology students like Amari Miller-Ragland, 18, led a presentation for female students at Riverside Elementary to educate them about the importance of flossing and brushing their teeth twice daily.
“This is important because this is something that you have to know how to do during your daily routine,” Ms. Miller-Ragland said. “That's just one of the biggest things with living. You’ve got to keep your hygiene up because [if you don’t], that can lead to diseases and stuff like that.”
Riverside Hub director Jazzma Chandler said the middle and high schoolers mutually benefit from the presentations.
The high schoolers gained real-world experience, and the middle school students “get to learn more of what’s taught outside of school, inside of school,” Ms. Chandler said.
“We are utilizing our resources and collaborating with Scott High School to kill two birds with one stone today,” she said. “Practice makes permanent. They [students] learn better from their peers. We thought, ‘What better way than to grab some older students who are successful and getting ready to go out into the world with their careers than to show [our younger students] and practice and tell them great things that they should know about hygiene.”
High school med technology student Elizabeth Freeman, 17, taught middle school boys at Riverside about showering, brushing their teeth and hair, washing their hands, and acne prevention.
Students asked her questions about things such as their pimples and deodorant recommendations while Elizabeth cracked jokes and engaged with the boys.
“I feel like if you come with energy, they’ll come with energy,” she said. “You can’t just come into a presentation all boring because they’re already like, ‘I don’t want to do this,’ because they’re kids. They want some excitement. They want some fun.”
Every student’s situation at home is different, Elizabeth said, which is why some students need to learn in school.
“You don’t know if their parents are telling them everything they need to know,” she said. “You never really know anyone’s situation until you open your mouth.”
Brittany Antonello, a medical technology instructor at Scott High School, said the hygiene presentations were good for the students because not all students are comfortable with asking questions about their bodies.
“I think at this age in sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, it [hygiene] can be awkward to hear about, to learn about,” Ms. Antonello said. “Who are they going to ask if they don't have the support? If they’re not trying to hear the school nurse, it can be difficult to ask those hard questions. It can be embarrassing. I think this, in particular, is important because it’s from kids, too. They’re older kids.
“They’re approachable. They look like each other. They come from the same place. They could be like a big brother, big sister. It has more of a comfortable vibe to it.”
First Published February 15, 2024, 8:34 p.m.
