Fayette County Cooperative Extension partnered with Squires Elementary, a school with over 60% of their students coming from low-income households, with the goal of improving their students’ handwashing practices, ability to identify food by its corresponding food group, and physical activity. The Literacy, Eating, and Activity for Primary curriculum was facilitated to 1^st and 2^nd graders in Squires’ after-school program. After completing the program, 84% of students demonstrated an improvement in knowing when to wash their hands before eating- always! Students who practice proper handwashing techniques are less likely to contract infections that would keep them home from school, thus increasing attendance and learning time.

Glo Germ was used as demonstration device in order to emphasize to the students the importance of proper handwashing. The demonstration began with the students playing a game with a ball that had Glo Germ powder sprinkled on it. When the game concluded, it was explained to the students that even though we can’t see them with the naked-eye, people can leave their germs behind on surfaces like the ball we just played with. Next, the students’ hands were inspected under a black light and their hands lit up from the contact with the powder. After examining their hands and learning about all of the necessary steps for proper handwashing, they were tasked with washing their hands. After scrubbing their hands with warm, soapy water and drying them with a clean paper towel, they looked at their hands under the black light for a second time. Some students were surprised to find that there were still spots on their hands that lit up because they hadn’t washed them well, which showed them the spots that they need to focus on in the future and reinforced the proper hand-washing steps.