HOULTON, Maine — The Health Fair is a rite of Spring at Houlton Elementary School with students in kindergarten through grade 2 getting outside the classroom routine to explore careers in their community that are focused on keeping citizens safe and sound.
Harmony Beaton, a school nurse, has been involved in planning the event for the past seven years. This year’s fair was held April 15.
“Health Fair is a way for students to learn and have fun outside of the classroom. Professionals from the community come in and do education with students. The students learn about bike safety, fire safety, nutrition, healthy bones, dental hygiene, and much more,” Beaton said.
Professionals from the Houlton police and fire departments, public library, Healthy Aroostook, ACAP dental health, game warden, Houlton Regional Hospital X-ray department, Hope and Justice Project, Bike Coalition, and Potatoes for ME presented during this year’s event.
Beaton added her school was fortunate to have Shop n’ Save provide and deliver fresh fruits such as oranges, grapes, cantaloupe, berries and much more for a healthy snack for over 300 students.
Chloe Michaud, an HES kindergartner, said what she liked best about the health fair “is seeing your bones.” And she learned that her arm has more than one bone in it.
First-grader Abigail Grant liked the healthy food tables in the library best. She said everyone thought the big apple on display was real, but it was fake. She learned that you have to eat five fruits and vegetables a day.
Bryce Hubert, a second-grader, enjoyed seeing Smokey the Bear the most. He learned that fire trucks have axes to chop down doors. He also said he learned that “if you fall off your bike and you’re not wearing a helmet you can damage your brain.”
