Sara Sandstrom, Nederland. Thirty-five fifth graders completed their time at Nederland Elementary (NES) as the 2020-2021 school year ended. They were honored with this achievement with a ceremony. 

Principal Caleb Melamed welcomed the families and congratulated the students. Three retiring teachers, music teacher Susan Jones, and fifth grade teachers Brenda Theodorakos and Tammy Forrest were thanked and honored with flowers and stained glass butterflies from the PTA. 

Some fifth graders chose to read a poem they wrote or share some of their memories from their time at NES. It was wonderful to hear some of their original work, their funny memories and we all know it is not easy at age eleven to stand in front of a crowd and speak. 

The fifth grade teachers gave each of their students a certificate signifying their successful completion of elementary school.

How nice it was to have a small gathering of families in the gymnasium again. Covid has prevented our schools from being that school community gathering place. This fifth grade sendoff event marked the start of opening the school doors to the community again. 

Congratulations to this year’s fifth grade class. We wish them all the best in middle school. Nederland Elementary’s fifth grade class is: MacKinley Abel, Sophia Beauvineau, Penelope Bodnar, Benjamin Brodsky, Naima Bullings, Louis Castruccio, Tadas Collins, Isaac Levy, Araelia Livingston, Sadie McQueen, Artan Moran, Brook Pattridge, Christian Porter, Cassin Rosenblum, Phoenix Ruvalcaba, Evelyne Stanton, Rocco Steuck, Codi Waldron, Annabelle Alper, Libby Chandler, Iris Dew, Olive Diaz, Xander Eldridge, Casey Hambourger, Logan Hanley, Kyle King, Francesca Lazio, Elliott Lears, Kai Leavens, Rory McLaughlin, Jonathan Moss, Miller Petrovic-Jones, Julian Ralph, Quinn Waltrip, Jackson Watts. 

(Originally published in the June 3, 2021, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)