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Program
Overview
Features
of the Germ City: Clean Hands,
Healthy People Program
- Improves
Hand Washing Skills
- Positively
Changes Hand Washing Behaviors
- Adaptable
for a Variety of Ages & Settings
- New
Insights for Measuring Hand Washing Effectiveness
- Fits
State Education Standards for Science and Health
- Portable,
Transportable, Meets Safety Standards
- Lends
Itself to New Collaborations and Work Across Disciplines
Program
Overview
The Germ City: Clean Hands, Healthy People
Program is an integrated education, Extension and research
program. Our program consists of classroom education for youth, Extension activities
conducted during fairs, festivals, and community events, and research focused
on hand washing behavior change related to safe food handling and health. The
focal point of the Germ City Program
is a large, walk-through tunnel equipped with black lights. Youth and adults
apply a black light sensitive lotion and enter the tunnel, seeing pretend germs
on their hands. After initial observation, participants wash their hands normally,
re-visit Germ City, and
assess their effectiveness. It’s “hands-on” experience. Everyone
has an opportunity to learn about the importance of frequent, effective hand
washing and see immediate results.
The Germ City Program has
been successfully delivered in a variety of settings. While our initial program
focus has been delivery in schools and during fairs and festivals, programming
has been conducted at senior centers, assisted living facilities, healthcare
facilities and hospitals, and food service operations.
Program delivery methods vary depending on event and educational opportunities.
In elementary and middle schools, presentations using the science based, Germ
City curriculum are delivered to small groups in sessions lasting
30 to 60 minutes. During fairs and community festivals, the Germ
City exhibit is set-up and participants individually evaluate
their hand washing effectiveness and interact with Extension educators and
volunteers. The curriculum has been reviewed by elementary and middle school
educators and Extension educators.
Our multi-state Germ City Program
team has a commitment to diversity in project collaboration and program delivery.
Target audiences consist of youth, adults, and older Americans, with a focus
on diverse, under-represented audiences, hard-to-reach and at-risk populations
from rural and urban areas. Germ City team
members and volunteers reach participants in Native American communities, limited
income families in Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and Food Stamp
Nutrition Education Program, special needs children, and other ethnically diverse
audiences.
Evaluation
Evaluation
tools were developed and used to measure behavioral change and
impact of the Germ City program.
Tools include pre and post questionnaires, observations by teachers,
Extension educators and volunteers, and a hand grid system to
measure hand washing effectiveness. Focus groups with youth and
adults investigating barriers to hand washing related to personal
motivation and behavior change were conducted in Washington.
Evaluation Specialist, Dr. Allison Nichols of West Virginia University,
provided support throughout our evaluation process.
Germ
City Products
- Science
- based curriculum: K - 8th Grade with Age-Appropriate Evaluation
Tools
- Germ
City Unit, Video/Pictorial (CD) Set-Up Guide & Posters
(English & Spanish)
- Parent
Newsletter and Support Materials for Teachers and Students
- Fair
and Festival Guide and Volunteer Training Program and a Video
Guide
- Marketing
Materials: Pencils, Tee Shirts, Stickers, Clings with Steps
of Hand Washing
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