Education

Students at the Bergens honored everyday heroes — the people who help make them safe — in a ceremony on Monday in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

The Bergens’ Hero Day, also in its 10th anniversary, was a bigger celebration this year. For the past nine years, only the Bergen Meadow Elementary students came outside to sing patriotic songs, wave flags and give thank-you banners to community heroes. This year, students from Bergen Valley Elementary joined in.

Despite a few bumps along the way, the teachers, administrators and staff in Evergreen schools are excited about a new school year.

Students return to classrooms next week, and despite district-wide budget cuts, they won’t see huge differences. Principals say they tried to keep the budget cuts as far away from classrooms as possible.

However, class sizes are a bit larger, there’s less money for supplies, and some teacher aides have disappeared.

The eighth-graders at Evergreen Middle School went down the hill recently to lend their support to area nonprofits to help others in need.

Their work ranged from helping at dog shelters and food banks to helping out at Children’s Hospital and working at parks as part of the annual community service project.

“When you can engage kids and make it personal, learning happens,” said social studies teacher Jayme Blinco. “We wanted to take kids out of Evergreen, to take them out of their bubble. They are seeing reality, and it hits them.”

Conifer and Evergreen high school graduates were given blessings from several faiths on Sunday at The Barn in Marshdale as the students prepare to start their journey into the future.

More than a half dozen clergy representing a foothills interfaith group conducted the service, called Blessing You on Your Journey, with about two dozen people, including a couple of seniors, attending.

The audience heard blessings from religions including the Christian, Buddhist, Jewish and Hindu faiths and listened to inspirational music.