Students at Sunset Beach Elementary School will get a dose of health and safety tips next week from experts touching on subjects not traditionally found in the classroom.

The Children's Health and Safety Fair on May 28 includes expected sessions such as proper hand-washing and a discussion about healthful food versus junk food, but the half-day program also provides a chance to explore subjects ranging from yoga and meditation to eating disorders and how to deal with bullies.

Kindergartners to sixth-graders will be able to choose from 22 options, split between upper-level grades and lower-level grades, with age-appropriate lessons. Upper grades will have sessions about cyber bullying, diabetes, eating disorders, skincare, positive thinking and children's support groups. Lower grades have a choice of yoga, self-esteem stations and tumbling exercises for life.

At a time when schools are focusing on core academic courses, through this event Sunset Beach Elementary is trying to expose students to the importance of caring for their bodies and well-being, said school counselor Jim Frisdie.

"This is important information for children to know about," Frisdie said. "A lot of times there's things that go on in children's households, and they don't really know who to ask for help or how to ask for help."

The event was held for the first time last year.

Students thought it was cool, said Kara Tanaka, Sunset's student council president. Similar topics were offered last year, including one on healthcare careers.

"I think that really helped me decide what I really want to be," said Tanaka, 12. "When I grow up, I want to be a pediatric nurse or pediatrician."

Tanaka said the presenters made their topics fun and used activities to help students learn about the Internet, and drug, water and beach safety.

"I think that really helped some of the kids at our school learn more about why you shouldn't do drugs, or be safe in the water and be safe on the Internet," she said.

All schools should provide a similar fair for their students, she said.

"It's a good opportunity for kids to learn more about your health," she said.

Experts lead the 25-minute sessions and children can attend four of them.

Lama Wang Chuk, who teaches meditation, said his first experience with teaching children at the school last year was amazing and he was impressed that some of them seemed to understand the concept of meditation even though they couldn't verbalize it.

"They told me the first time that some of the kids really lack focus on their studies or any other activity with other kids, but during the meditation they were totally, absolutely quiet," Chuk said, adding that he is looking forward to going back.

The short sessions don't provide for full learning opportunities but it does expose the children to ideas, said Nancy DeLamarter, who will conduct a yoga class for the younger children.

DeLamarter said the lack of physical education in schools makes this type of event even more important for children.

"As a social worker, I think this is such a positive blending of the physical and the emotional," she said. "It's less threatening for kids. You're not just sitting down and saying, 'Let's talk about things.' You're moving their bodies and releasing stress sometimes without even speaking about it."

An important part of the fair is safety and this year the school is offering help with bullying, domestic violence, gangs and graffiti.

Chris Duque, a former police detective who became the Police Department's expert on Internet safety and security, will speak to the kids about Internet bullying.

Next to online predators, online bullying is the biggest risk facing children, Duque said. But with bullying, children can be the perpetrator as well as the victim and oftentimes teachers are targets, he said.

Duque said bullying is really the wrong word for what is going on; it's really harassment and that can be a crime.

"Once (children) realize criminal action can be taken against them, they wise up to the warning," he said. "But some of them you can talk to them all you want and they're not going to listen."