With issues such as obesity plaguing America's children, teachers and administrators at Farrell Elementary School organized a health fair aimed at helping to combat such problems.

Farrell elementary students in kindergarten through sixth grade spent Tuesday learning about nutrition, oral hygiene, fire and smoking prevention, and emergency awareness.

Volunteers from Magnotto's Shop 'n' Save, Hermitage; UPMC Horizon, Farrell; the American Health Education Center; Mercer County Child Care Information Services; McGonigle Ambulance Service; Farrell Fire Department; and Southwest Mercer County Regional Police talked to students about the topics.

Students received free nutritional snacks, toothbrushes, dental floss and a host of other items.

Janet Thiel, school nurse, and Lou Paris, physical education teacher, coordinated the health fair, which was staged in the school gymnasium. About 575 students attended, rotating by classroom through the different stations. Fifth- and sixth-graders were offered the opportunity to learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation and earn a certified card to carry, Paris said.

Ms. Thiel said the health fair allowed students to get a hands-on feel for what they are learning. A health-related event is organized each year for students, and it can be geared to promoting safety and prevention. Last year, students enjoyed a track-and-field day. This year's health fair, the second the school has held, turned out to be a "wonderful success," Ms. Thiel said. "It's been a wonderful turnout," she added.

The more students who are given lessons in health and safety, the quicker they learn what to make the right choices and what do in case of emergency, Paris added.

"The health fair is to introduce students to health factors they need to know about. Everything we did here today is needed with students in all the schools, not only in Farrell, but in other schools as well," he said.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Larissa Theodore at ltheodore@sharonherald.com