Jeff Hajny

    Even though the school year has been going for more than a month, parents and faculty alike are still concerned about the health of students.
     On Oct. 16, the Star City Lions Club from Lincoln sponsored a school-wide health screening for Seward Elementary School.
     While there, club members provided hearing, vision and blood pressure tests along with measuring students' height and weight.
     "There are a lot of parents and families that don't have health insurance so the state asks schools to do these screenings," Lions Club member Norm Johnson said. "A lot of schools can't afford this every year, so we offer our services."
     The Lions Club visits 78 schools throughout the state per year and screens nearly 19,000 students annually.
     "Everyone wants us during the first part of the year, but we do a lot of schools in the west during this time because they're small and spread out," Johnson said.
     This marked the second year the Lions Club was in Seward. The club also visited Milford and Friend this year for the first time.
     The club screened every student from kindergarten to fourth grade.
     If they find a student who needs hearing aids or glasses, the Lions Club, who is sponsored by Blue Cross/Blue Shield, will help the families pay for them.
     "Although this is a state requirement, you need to go in and check the health of these students," school nurse Marge Hansen said. "They always say a healthy student is a better learner."