According to the Robert Wood Johnson County Health Rankings, in Hopkins County, respondents reported an average of 4.5 unhealthy days per month in the last year.  For children, being ill leads to absenteeism from school, and missing important educational information.  In an effort to combat the high incidence of illness and absenteeism due to illness in the Hopkins County Schools, the Hopkins County Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences approached the Family Resource and Youth Services Coordinators at two local Elementary Schools.  They formed a partnership, along with the Physical Education teachers, to educate students on proper hand washing and personal hygiene practices.  The Hopkins County Extension Agent has since led “Healthy Me, Healthy You” programs at both Elementary Schools twice a year, for all students, for the past four years.  During the program, students read the book, Germs Make Me Sick, and then discussed ways to prevent the spread of germs.  Students practiced using the six steps of hand washing, and acted out scenarios to show how they could prevent the spread of germs in those situations. Students then demonstrated the solutions they found to preventing the spread of germs.  Last year, on the one week follow up, 92% of students demonstrated their ability to list at least three times when they should wash their hands, 94% correctly identified all six steps of hand washing, and 96% of students correctly explained why hand washing is important. On one-month follow up evaluations, 91% of students demonstrated their ability to list at least three times when they should wash their hands, 92% correctly identified all six steps of hand washing, and 93% of students correctly explained why hand washing is important.  Since the program was initially implemented in 2014, absenteeism at Pride Elementary School due to illness during peak cold and flu season has decreased consistently every year.  From the Fall Semester of 2014 to the Fall Semester of 2017, absenteeism due to illness has decreased 37%. Both the school administrators and local health department credits student’s increased personal hygiene and hand washing to prevent the spread of germs for the decrease.