Officers visit students for super hero day

“It was likely the best thing members of Lake County’s various law enforcement agencies did,” Lake County Sheriff, Don Bell, said. 

Members of the Sheriff’s Department, Polson Police Department, Ronan Police Department, Tribal Law and Order and Lake County Detention Center gathered at K. William Harvey Elementary School in Ronan to interact with students who began their “Super Hero Day” eating breakfast in the cafeteria and listening to stories students chose to be read by law enforcement officers.

“Super Hero Readers is the theme of our school-wide reading program this year at K. William Harvey School in Ronan,” said third-grade teacher Peggy Rowe.

“Under the direction of Carey Swawberg, Dean of Students/Reading Coach, we invite high school teams/clubs and community members to read with our students in a program called Role Model Readers.”

Among the activities Ronan students enjoyed this year was a Super Hero assembly that included former NBA players Forest Bay and Joe “The Trick Star” Odhiambo. 

For Lake County’s finest, the day began with breakfast at 7:45 a.m. when superhero officers arrived to find cafeteria tables topped with a variety of books chosen by students and read by their mentors.

Students sat down to their breakfast, ears perked to the various stories around them.

“During that special reading time, students got to collect autographs from officers and take photos with their super law enforcement heroes,” explained Rowe. 

“Each student received a Sheriff’s Star sticker,” she said.

When breakfast was done, the officers went to class right along with students.

From one grade to another, officers answered questions about whatever was on students’ minds.

“The officers were asked about the equipment they were wearing, if they had ever had to shoot a person, how their taser guns work, and about different aspects of their jobs,” Rowe said. “The question with the best answer in third grade was, “What is your best weapon?” Tribal officers Casey and Craig Couture answered, ‘Our minds!’”

But the morning wasn’t complete without students’ gifts to honor law enforcement even more.

“The first grade team (Mrs. Linse, Mr. Koehler, Mrs. Moll, and Mrs. Hoback) made hand print pictures and treats for their departments as a way of thanking our officers for lending a helping hand to our community,” Rowe said. “Other classes wrote cards and made posters,” Rowe said.

“Students and staff at KWH agree that the law enforcement officers in our valley are truly super heroes,” Rowe said.

But Bell said it was the students and staff whom they thought were super.