Glendale doctor teaches first-graders healthy habits and skills
First-graders at Cerritos Elementary School learned on Wednesday a few simple ways to care for themselves and the health of others through hands-on guidance from a physician.
William Wang, chief medical officer at Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital, led 61 students through a “teddy bear clinic” as part of the annual Great Kindness Challenge, which teaches youngsters the importance of service and kindness.
“I heard some of you guys said you want to be a boss. You know the secret of being a boss?” Wang said. “Being a boss means human kindness … allowing people to be the best that they can be.”
After Wang went over a few good-health habits with the 6- and 7-year-olds, such as eating healthy, covering mouths when coughing and washing hands, he went over some lessons that are considerate of others.
Starting with hand sanitizer, he taught the students to work the substance on their hands long enough to finish the “Happy Birthday” song.
Using a giant teddy bear in the room, Wang then showed how to listen through a stethoscope as the students mimicked the process on their own smaller teddy bears.
“Listen to your bear’s heart beat,” Wang said.
Also inside each bag were blank cards that the first-graders used to write “thank you” notes addressed to firefighters involved in the recent Southern California wildfires.
Helping alongside Wang were Cassie McCarty, director of mission integration at Glendale Memorial, and the school’s principal, Perla Chavez-Fritz.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity for our students to be able to have a doctor come and speak with them about the importance of safety and being able to see a doctor,” Chavez-Fritz said
Twitter: @JeffLanda
