Students at Ecole Mother Teresa Catholic School had the chance to experience the Travelling Brain School last week.
The Central Alberta Brain Injury Society (CABIS) brought the interactive program to Mother Teresa on April 26.
The Travelling Brain School is made up of five learning stations, each with a different focus.
“The kids come in, they learn how their brain functions, how some of their lobes work together and how to keep their brains safe as they go through life,” said Kris Gunter-Smith, program associate for CABIS.
The Travelling Brain School is programmed for Kindergarten through Grade 9.
Mother Teresa’s Grades 4 and 5 classes experienced the different learning stations with the help of some Grade 9 volunteers.
Gunter-Smith says the toys at each station vary based on grade level, for example, at the “alcohol and drug” station Grade 5’s use the drunk goggles, while Grade 4’s use glasses from the dollar store.
She explained it is important to teach kids to prevent brain injury at a young age because brain injuries cost the government millions every year.
“Brain injuries don’t tend to be a short fix, so you have therapy, occupational therapy, different things you have to go through and it does cost the government a lot,” Gunter-Smith said, “so at this age if we can teach them how their brain functions, how to keep them safe… hopefully I’m trying to educate myself out of a job.”
CABIS takes its Travelling Brain School around Central Alberta for free to any school who requests it.
“This is one of the many things that CABIS does and we absolutely love coming out and making sure that we’re trying to keep kids safe as they go through life,” said Gunter-Smith.
CABIS is hosting their 22nd Annual Silent Auction at Parkland Mall in Red Deer June 14-15.
Proceeds from the auction will support CABIS in meeting the needs of brain injury survivors and promoting the prevention of brain injury.
Items will be on display with bidding sheets available June 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and June 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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