Iolas elementary school students had an in-the-body experience Friday.
The students partook in a Body Venture exhibit set up at Allen Community Colleges Student Activities Building.
The exhibit consisted of through small tents to denote different parts of the body.
For example, the opening exhibit was a larger-than-life mouth, where the students learned about proper dental care and how taste buds function.
The students then are swallowed into the esophagus tunnel and into the stomach dome. From there, the students travel through the small intestine, where they are absorbed into the blood, then follow a path through the heart, lungs, bones, muscles and skin stations.
The students exit through what is best described as a cut in the skin (with an appropriate bandage for added realism.)
In addition, a makeshift lunchroom allowed the students to learn what happens to food as its digested. The brain dome showed how brain waves function.
The tour wraps up with the Pathway to Life station, which recapped various key health concepts from the 10 prior stations.
Volunteer presenters from ACCs biology department and Phi Theta Kappa organization served as presenters for each station. Iola High School students assisted as well.
The Body Venture program was developed by the Kansas State Department of Education.
