Walking into Frontier Middle School, it's hard not to think about swine flu.

Posters hang on the walls, reminders to wash hands and stay home at the first sign of fever. Swine flu has become part of school life, and students should know as much as possible, said Gail Kennah, school nurse.

More than 50 students made posters with facts, prevention tips and symptoms about H1N1. Prizes were awarded by grade level, but all the posters were displayed in the front entrance of the building.

"We tried to do away with the fear," Kennah said. "It's one thing to go and talk to them. It's another thing to see what they held on to."

Students were taught to properly wash their hands and cough into their elbows. They were taught common symptoms and myths. One winning poster showed a graphic of a pig wearing a face mask. Pigs were on many poster, but every student should know that the flu can't be picked up from contact with swine, said Kennah.

Teacher Brant Jungck assigned his students to write an essay about the flu from the point of view of an object: Kleenex, doorknobs, a bar of soap. Eighth-grader Cheyenne Brabec wrote as a pig, asserting that pigs don't spread the illness.

Brabec was happy to learn that fact. She shows pigs every summer with 4H.

Also in the front entrance, a short video about H1N1 plays on one of the flat screen TVs. The 45-second public service announcement was written and produced by students in Timothy Stirret's behavior and social skills class.

Kennah was proud of the work and said students should be ready for the next wave of the flu expected in January and February. She said absences peaked a few weeks ago but have leveled off.

Poster contest winners: first place, Tristen Gannon, Eva Warren, Cheyenne Brabec; second place, Alaina Wright, Lydia Gallup, Heide Prickett; third place, Heighden Gingrich, Tayah Regnier, Tabitha Weisz.

Reach education reporter Jackie Borchardt at (307) 266-0593 or at jackie.borchardt@trib.com. Read her education blog at tribtown.trib.com/reportcard