Kindergarten students talked safety at Grundy Avenue Elementary School during a recent injury prevention program provided by the Trauma Center at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital.

Through the workshop, each kindergarten class was visited by two Stony Brook nurses, Kristi Ladowski and Christine Pfundstein, who shared important tips to stay safe and avoid injury. Students learned about the importance of correctly wearing a seatbelt when riding in a car and a helmet when riding a bicycle. Using two eggs, one with a protective case around it representing a helmet and one without, the students saw how easily the unprotected egg cracked and the protected egg remained safe. 

Additionally, each class participated in a teddy bear clinic where students suited up as a doctor and performed patient care on one of their own stuffed animals. Dressed in protective hair nets, face masks and rubber gloves, students began by assessing the condition of their patient, identifying injuries and making recommendations on how to stay safe next time. Completing the teddy bear clinic, the student-caregivers applied bandages and splints to their injured fluffy friends.