AFTON – Afton elementary students had the chance to learn about heart health, nutrition and wellness on Friday as the school hosted its first ever Wellness Fair.

“I just love teaching kids how to be well,” said Health Educator Jess Wheeler, an itinerant health teacher through DCMO BOCES who divides her time between Oxford and Afton.

Wheeler organized the event with the help of Afton Physical Education Teacher Cindy Decker and Jen Hillman, a community health educator with Thompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES.

The day’s events included a wellness fair, an elementary swimming show, and a Heart Adventure Course. Elementary classes were scheduled to cycle through each of the activities throughout the day.

More than 20 local agencies “from all walks of wellness” exhibited in the school’s small gym during the wellness fair. Those in attendance included Chenango Health Network, poison control, Chenango County Department of Mental Health, Eat Smart New York, 4-H and asthma educators from United Health Services. Representatives from the Chenango County Sheriff’s Department were also on hand, sharing safety tips and distributing coloring activity books and brochures with information on a variety of safety-related topics.

In the large gym, students were challenged to complete the Heart Adventure Course. The course, which was donated by Chenango Memorial Hospital, combines educational stations and physical exercise so that students learn about the structure and function of the heart.

“It’s a neat way of learning how the blood travels through the body, and getting some exercise at the same time,” explained Physical Education Teacher Pat Lynch, who was one of several educators who spent time throughout the day facilitating the activity.