COEUR d'ALENE - LAM Christian Academy students were wowed, intrigued and even a little grossed-out when they visited "Germ City" Wednesday and realized how improper handwashing can leave bacteria crawling on their skin.

"The most interesting part was to see how many germs I maybe had or could have had," said fourth-grader Ella Hosfeld, 10, of Coeur d'Alene. "Before this, I wasn't really aware of it, so now I think I'm going to be more aware."

With a pump of GlitterBug Potion Handwashing Disclosure Lotion, students from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade stepped into the Germ City tent, where a black light illuminated the potential germs lurking on their glowing hands. Students were then asked to wash their hands and return to the black light area to see how well they washed.

"It's so timely just with cold and flu season coming up," said University of Idaho Extension nutrition educator Shelly Johnson, who conducted the Germ City presentation.

Johnson, of Coeur d'Alene, spoke to the students about sanitary hand-drying techniques, told them anecdotes about how easily E. Coli can spread and reminded them to scrub their entire hands in hot water for 20 seconds to kill germs.

"You know what all the germs do?" she asked a group of about 20 third- and fourth-graders. "They get lost in all the bubbles."

Germ City, which began with Washington State University, has been a U of I project for the last 13 or 14 years. Johnson said calls from school nurses start coming in about this time of year, requesting the educational program when sneezing and sniffling becomes more common.

"What we try to do then, through Germ City, is all of those concepts, but yet all of (the students) have what we call 'practice spots.' They might do really, really well here," Johnson said, turning up her palms, "but they always forget fingernails and backs of their hands, so 'practice spots' are key."

Fourth-grade teacher Jennifer Dodson of Coeur d'Alene said she was thrilled Johnson brought Germ City to her school to talk about preventing the spread of bacteria and diseases.

"It helps with the kids, just to remind them to wash their hands," Dodson said. "She was so great to tell them the different times to wash their hands, which they forget about, often, and to see the actual interaction and the example of putting the lotion on. Just the whole process is so wonderful for them to see."

Kindergarten teaching assistant Roxy Kelly of Hayden Lake said educating the students about hygiene and germs can reduce kids being sick.

"That's one thing that we really stress, is for the kids to be clean," Kelly said. "We wash up before we have our snack ... really, just how we use so many color crayons and the pencils, just the germs - everything is shared."

Germ City will be visiting other schools in the area in the near future. Those interested can contact Johnson at 446-1680.

"Right now, it's flu season because of how cold it is. It can make people sick," Ella said. "It's really good to wash your hands, especially if somebody is getting a cold but they don't quite know it yet, maybe, then you touch them or hug them or something. It's good to wash your hands."

Info: www.germcity.wsu.edu