Verne W. Critz kindergarten students learned about how to be personally responsible for their own safety during a virtual Teddy Bear Clinic. The Teddy Bear Clinic is an injury prevention education program sponsored by the Stony Brook University Trauma Center and engages students as they pretend to be doctors and nurses.

During the clinic, Kristi Lyn Ladowski, MHP, briefed the students on car and bike safety, stranger danger and the importance of keeping the brain safe by wearing a helmet during applicable sports. She demonstrated how a helmet keeps the brain safe by dropping an egg dressed with a helmet and one without to show the importance of this safety precaution.

“You are in charge of keeping you safe,” Ms. Landowski reminded the students throughout the program.

After the presentation, the students were given bandages, medical tape, latex gloves and caps and were instructed to take care of their own injured stuffed animal.