(November 6, 2024) Gering, NE — When the Gering Preschool on the Northfield Elementary campus celebrates a ribbon cutting Monday, they’ll do so with a special story built into every beam and brick. Gering High School students, taking education beyond the walls of a classroom, have crafted a preschool that is already inspiring educators, families, and communities far beyond Gering. This groundbreaking project has captured both national and statewide attention, spotlighted by the Stanford Center on Early Childhood, showcased in a proud statewide public schools commercial, and featured by Nebraska Public Media.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony will mark more than just the opening of a new preschool; it will celebrate an extraordinary vision brought to life by the hands and hard work of Gering’s own high school construction pathway students.
Superintendent Dr. Nicole Regan expressed the pride that’s swept the community, saying, “This project is a love letter to what public education can accomplish. It’s a legacy of learning, teamwork, and community spirit that will impact generations. Our students have not only built a preschool—they’ve built hope, opportunity, and a powerful example of what can happen when young people are trusted with meaningful work.”
The preschool’s expansion, part of Gering’s response to a capacity gap for early childhood learners, will help to serve Gering’s youngest residents. A focus that the district has been putting into motion as it expanded from two preschool classrooms to eight over the last four years.
Tanner Gartner, a GHS 2024 graduate and one of the students who worked on the project, shared how impactful the experience has been: “Knowing that we’re part of something bigger is really rewarding. It’s not every day you get to look at a building and say, ‘I helped create that.’”
The innovative project has garnered admiration from local residents and across the state. Gering High School Principal, Mario Chavez, shares about the phone call he received from a former Gering resident now living in Madison, Nebraska. “When I answered Byron Brogan’s call, he shared that while watching Wheel of Fortune, a commercial about our Gering project came across the screen. He went on to share fond memories of his time living in Gering and how proud he was of our school and community” Chavez continues, “It was then I understood the reach and impact of this project - he was so proud.”
The Northfield Preschool Ribbon Cutting event will be a celebration for the entire Gering community—a moment to honor not only the new preschool and the bright-eyed Bitty Bulldogs it will serve, but also for the GHS construction pathway students who turned a vision into a reality that will enrich Gering for years to come. Families, community members, and education advocates are all invited to join in the ceremony Monday, November 11th at 4:15 p.m. on the Northfield campus at 1900 Flaten Avenue in Gering.
