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Riverdale students take virtual tour of body during the "Body Walk"

Boscobel Area Health Care and Riverdale Elementary School teamed up to take students K-12 on an virtual adventure through the human body.

The "Body Walk" was held on February 13th at Riverdale Elementary School. The event involved transforming the school gymnasium into an educational model of the body. The purpose of the event was to teach students how their body functions, and how to take care of themselves.

Students entered the gym by crawling through a model of the mouth, where they learned about dental hygiene and received toothbrushes. From there, they continued through the esophagus, and visited the stomach, intestines, bones, muscles, heart, and lungs. At each station, community members and BAHC employees talked about how to keep your body healthy.

Dawn Stephenson, CNA at Riverside Family Practice in Muscoda, helped students listen to their heartbeats at the "heart" station of the body walk. BAHC Athletic Trainer Penny Grassel conducted a wet foot test on students to determine the type of arch in their feet. Grassel talked about how selecting proper footwear can prevent injuries.

Seventh and eighth grade students assisted with the event, serving as student helpers at each station. Sara Pasold, seventh grader, said she hopes to teach the younger students that "it is their responsibility to take care of their bodies."

Sandra Hanson said aside from helping at the Body Walk, she can continue to teach healthy habits by "taking care of myself and serving as a role model for others."

Body Walk volunteers included: Penny Grassel, BAHC athletic trainer; Sandy Lofthouse, BAHC Bluff Street Clinic Nurse Manager; Dawn Stephenson, CNA at BAHC Riverside Family Practice; Carole Thole, Grant County Tobacco-Free Coalition; Susie Chelsvig, Meritor Hospital, Dr. Heersma, retired Riverside Family Practice Physician; Jill Makovec, Alice in Dairyland; and Mary Sprosty, BAHC Community Relations Coordinator.