Hoag teaches Huntington Beach Junior Lifeguards the importance of sun safety

Lifeguards spend more time out in the sun than most, making the use of sunscreen even more important.

Huntington Beach Junior Lifeguards got a close-up look at the benefits Monday morning as part of a partnership with Hoag.

Dr. Steven Wang, medical director of dermatologic oncology at Hoag, was on hand to lead a STEM education session at the Marine Lifeguard Center in Huntington Beach.

Experts estimate that nearly 80% of a person’s lifetime sun exposure occurs before age 20.

Dr. Steven Wang, medical director of Dermatologic Oncology at Hoag, teaches junior lifeguards the effects of sunlight on the skin during a STEM education session on Monday.

(James Carbone)

Eighty Junior Lifeguards participated in the session, which featured three stations to explore. The first station let the kids experiment with prisms and learn about ultraviolet radiation.

The second station gave the Junior Guards scales and sunscreen, helping teach them how much is necessary to apply.

“We also have a UV camera to show them if they put it on correctly, they can cover their whole face,” Wang said. “They actually see it for themselves.”

Ella Truong, 9, looks through a microscope to see closely healthy skin during Monday’s STEM education session.

(James Carbone)

Finally, the third station showed the Junior Guards what different kinds of skin look like under the microscope, including skin cancer.

Wang said it’s a pilot program taking place in Huntington Beach. He and his team designed the three stations to promote awareness around the risk of skin cancer and melanoma.

“Within that one-hour setting, they learn about math, they learn about chemistry, they learn about a little bit of physics, biology,” Wang said. “Afterward, we have a survey to make sure they understand it. In three weeks, another survey will be sent out to see how much they retain. The parents can do it with the kids. Hopefully, the kids will educate the parents about the importance of sun protection.”

Huntington Beach Junior Lifeguards use an app on their cellphone to help apply sunscreen during Monday’s STEM education session.

(James Carbone)

Bailey Spehar, 10, enjoyed the STEM session. Bailey, who will be a fifth-grader at Peterson Elementary School in the fall, is in her fourth year in the Junior Lifeguards program in Huntington Beach.

“It was pretty cool,” Bailey said. “We learned about how much sunscreen you need to apply, what SPF you need and stuff like that.”

Still, it was clear to Bailey that a sweet highlight took place after the session concluded.

“The best part was that we got lollipops at the end,” she said.

Dr. Steven Wang, medical director of Dermatologic Oncology at Hoag, explains how sunlight can affect the skin.

(James Carbone)