Next stop, stomach!

Getting sneezed out of the human nose isn't your typical field trip.

But this week, students got to take a trip up the tongue, through the mouth and around the body at the Yuma Civic Center.

The experience was all part of the Yuma County Health District's annual Body Walk, where third-graders from throughout the county recently toured a simulation of the human body and learned about its function and nutrition. The Yuma County Health District's Arizona Nutrition Network Program has been hosting the tours since 1995.

Anastasia Vasquez, a third-grader at Desert Mesa Elementary School, said her favorite part was where they learned about teeth.

After entering through the mouth, students learned about healthy things to eat and the reminder: "Don't let your teeth become extinct."

Anastasia said it was good to get out of the classroom and do something fun. Her mother, Monica Vasquez, agreed.

"It's really, really neat for them to see (the body) in a different type of atmosphere," she said.

After the teeth, students crawled through the esophagus and into the stomach, where they learned to "Eat like an Egyptian" or to follow the food pyramid.

Next it was on to the small intestine and the bloodstream before students got a chance to listen their own hearts.

In the bones section, students learned about what it takes to "Build Strong Bones" from construction workers.

Their last stop was the lungs, where students learned that "Smoking is a Bad Trick."

Finally, the students got sneezed out the nose.

They ended their day with exercises and games to help stay active.

Though the event is full for this year, third-grade teachers interested in participating in next year's Body Walk can call 317-4510. All schools partnering with the Arizona Nutrition Network were invited on a first-come, first-reserve basis.