IT TAKES BRAINS: STUDENTS GET A FEEL FOR SCIENCE

Dr. Scott Gibbs knows brains, and it's a good thing since he had two of them on hand for science demonstrations at Alma Schrader Elementary School Thursday afternoon.

The Cape Girardeau neurosurgeon made a presentation to some 70 Alma Schrader fifth-graders. The presentation was a Halloween treat for students who have been studying the brain and spine throughout the month.

Gibbs' presentation, called Brains R Us, included information given by his two sons, 10-year old Alex and 5-year old Eric. He said using his children helped students realize the importance of using and protecting the brain.

After a short lecture, he gave each student the chance to touch and feel brains which had been donated to science research. Students wore surgical masks, hats and gloves while feeling the brain, and adults were on hand to properly dispose of the items afterward.

Everyone had a different description for the experience.

"It was gooey and wet," said Kate Miller.

Max Friese had a different opinion. "It felt like raw chicken," he said.

Lindsay Harline described it in a way that had her classmates groaning even as they nodded their heads in agreement. "It felt like my little brother's dirty diaper," she said.

During the hour-long presentation, Gibbs identified the parts of the brain and explained how students could protect their most active organ from injury. He also told students how unique their brain makes them.

"Your brain is what makes you who you are," he said. "When you have a heart transplant, you're the same person with a different heart. When you have a kidney transplant, you're the same person with a different kidney. We can't do brain transplants, and even if we could and someone received a new brain, they wouldn't be the same person anymore."

Gibbs said he hoped his presentations would make students take an interest in science and also take special precautions to protect their brains from injury. It's never a good idea to dive into shallow pools or ride bicycles without protective helmets because the brain is very fragile and can be easily injured, he said.

"I just want to teach them about the functions of the brain, but there's more to it," he said. "I also want them to understand mental health, and about brain and spinal cord injuries and how to prevent them. It's important that they understand the power of their minds."