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DALLAS TWP. — The youngsters admittedly needed a helping hand, though in this case it turned out to be a helping hand bone.

Giuliana Wojtowicz picked up a model of the bones of an arm and hand, and used it to point out which of several X-ray images showed a hand.

After which, appropriately, others in the room gave her a hand — as in applause

Wojtowicz needed something to reach all of the images hanging on a light board that was clearly positioned for adults, not 4- and 5-year-olds. Picking up a spare arm bone not only assured she knew what she was looking for when asked to find the hand bone x-ray, it put the images in, well, arm’s reach.

She was one of more than a dozen pre-schoolers participating in this year’s “Bone Academy” at Misericordia University. The four-week program connected tykes from two day care centers — the Little Meadows Learning Center and Adventures in Learning — with 29 medical imaging sophomores from the university.

Various projects help the youngsters become familiar — and hopefully, less fearful — with pediatrics and the possibility they may face an X-ray or other imaging procedure. It also counts as service-learning for the college students.

Along with having the youngsters find a bone and then point to its X-ray image, the kids got to lie on a large piece of paper as a “bone coach” traced their outline, then dig through a bin of bones to piece a skeleton together in the outline.

Ella Caleb seemed to like picking arm bones — she had four of them before she finally grabbed a foot. Conner Degnan pulled out a skull, Hamlet like, but instead of “Alas, poor Yorick” simply shouted “I got the face!”

And they got (fake) X-rays, with one child staying on the table while others went into the nearby room and “turned on” the machine by saying “BEEEEP!”

Misericordia Medical Imaging Department Chair Lori Zelna said the activities are designed, in part, to help the children “learn to interact with pediatric staff,” and to understand that, as scary as an X-ray machine may look, “it’s just taking a picture.”

Fun and educational? Fortunately for Zelna, these guests in the radiography room were unable to, um, see right through that.

Giuliana Wojtowicz points out the X-ray of a hand with a (model) hand bone.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL110516BONES1.jpg.optimal.jpgGiuliana Wojtowicz points out the X-ray of a hand with a (model) hand bone. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Cameron Wiernusz waits to pick a bone to find during the Bone Academy at Misericordia University.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL110516BONES2.jpg.optimal.jpgCameron Wiernusz waits to pick a bone to find during the Bone Academy at Misericordia University. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Devin Marriott helps Luke Tanner do a mock X-ray during the bone academy at Misericordia University.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL110516BONES3.jpg.optimal.jpgDevin Marriott helps Luke Tanner do a mock X-ray during the bone academy at Misericordia University. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Vivienne Bross, Ella Caleb and Connor Degnan adjust an X-ray machine on Emily Bush as Melissa Evans looks on.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL110516BONES4.jpg.optimal.jpgVivienne Bross, Ella Caleb and Connor Degnan adjust an X-ray machine on Emily Bush as Melissa Evans looks on. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

Emelia Pachick has a pretend x-ray by Ashley Edgell while Logan Tanner plays with the machine.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/web1_TTL110516BONES5.jpg.optimal.jpgEmelia Pachick has a pretend x-ray by Ashley Edgell while Logan Tanner plays with the machine. Aimee Dilger | Times Leader

By Mark Guydish

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Reach Mark Guydish at 570-991-6112 or on Twitter @TLMarkGuydish