Surprise Visitors

The night of April 23 was anything but typical for Avery, a Breck 4th grader. What seemed like a normal evening quickly changed when the Minneapolis Police Department stopped at her family's house hoping to speak with her and thank her for her thoughtfulness for a recent letter she sent to the department.

Avery, along with her classmates in Ms. Tara Feeney's 4th grade class, are challenged to write letters of gratitude to emergency workers and other "helpers" each week. 

"During this unique time, we noticed that some of the people (police, fire fighters, EMS) who we typically think of as helpers are working extra hard, but there are also many "helpers" that we have previously overlooked," explains Feeney. "Each student was asked to look around their lives and notice someone that is "helping" to keep us safe and to thank them."

The students brainstormed ideas of how they could show their appreciation: letter writing, chalk drawings, a special sign and different types of digital connections. Avery chose to write a letter to the Minneapolis Police Department. Their visit on that late April evening was one of gratitude — appreciation for her support.