NATCHEZ &045; Students at Frazier Primary School got early Christmas presents Wednesday, thanks to the Brain Injury Association of Mississippi.

The association brought almost 500 bicycle helmets &045; one for each student &045; to the school and, through a puppet show, taught them the importance of wearing their helmets.

Students were given help in putting on their helmets, which were available in four sizes &uot;so they’ll be sure to fit,&uot; said school guidance counselor Marne Burr.

&uot;Statistics Š show that in the U.S., one person dies each day due to a bicycle accident,&uot; Burr said. &uot;And 144 people died last year in the U.S. (from such accidents).&uot;

The helmets were bought with a grant from the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services.

Burr heard about the available helmets through another teacher at the school, who heard about it went she went to a conference recently.

The school has students from kindergarten through second grade.

The association, which has distributed helmets to other schools around the state, also presented helmets Tuesday to some grades at Morgantown Elementary School.