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Health Program Helps Kindergartners Make Sense Of Senses

Tribune photo by JAY NOLAN

Lianna Baum uses a pen-light to check Cora Van Houwelingen's eye during an activity at Tampa General Hospital's rehab center.

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By MARY SHEDDEN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 24, 2009

TAMPA - If you plan to teach a room full of kindergartners about their five senses, it helps to stock up on sour lemons, salty popcorn and a boom box ready to host a dance party.

Textbooks and Power Point presentations are useless to 5- and 6-year-olds being introduced to the senses. Just ask the two dozen Cambridge Christian School kindergartners, who smelled, tasted, touched, felt and heard during a visit to Tampa General Hospital today.

Abby Wilson and EmmaLee Floyd giggled as they frantically danced to music while wearing stethoscopes, which helped them listen to their tiny speedy heartbeats. Joshua Morin marveled at the sight, sounds, smell and feel of the hospital's helicopter taking off for an emergency flight.

"I could taste the wind, too," he boasted.

Their field trip is one of the 23 lessons offered to Hillsborough and Pinellas county students by More Health, a Tampa-based health education program. While most of the lessons are taught at schools, field trips to Tampa General happen a few times a year, said Karen Pesce, More Health executive director.

"It really sends a message of good health, wellness and safety," she said of the programs that serve an estimated 200,000 area students in kindergarten through 12th grade each year.

Since its start in 1989, More Health has taught more than 1.7 million local students on topics as varied as bicycle safety, fitness and nutrition, and trauma education for teens learning how to drive. They also offer family health education programs.

The nonprofit group is supported in part by major sponsors such as Tampa General Hospital, All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, and Hillsborough and Pinellas county public schools.

Reporter Mary Shedden can be reached at (813) 259-7365.

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