2013 Nevada Head Start HERO

Cayden Cayson, left, and Bailey Starbuck, from Nevada Head Start present the 2013 HERO award to five surprised members of the Nevada Police Department, Chief W. Graham Burnley, Officer Brian Hanson, receiving the plaque, Anthony Strope, Lukas Gibson and Capt. Casey Crain during a Nevada City Council meeting. Not pictured, Jeep Chadd, Nevada Head Start student. Photo by Ralph Pokorny/Daily Mail.

Nevada Daily Mail

"They are always there for the staff and the student's families, which is a big thing for the kids," Tera McFarland, Nevada Head Start director, said of the Nevada Police Department which was chosen as the Head Start Hero of the Year for 2013.

"It was no contest this year, who was going to be the hero," McFarland said, adding that some of the officers came by and told them "thank you," after the presentation at the September city council meeting.

"That meant a lot to the staff. We knew we made the right choice," she said.

McFarland said the 87 children at the Nevada Head Start look forward to visits from the police officers and unlike some children are not afraid of the police.

"They have taught the kids a police officer is someone safe to talk to. They [the police] did that through their involvement with the kids we have here," she said.

When the officers visit, she said the children point at their bells and also ask them what's that, what's this, and the officers take the time to tell them.

The officers not only make visits for official reasons, they also come to the Head Starts parent enrichment nights, and other activities.

She said the children showed the officers their art projects and the officers stayed to look at all of them.

When the Nevada Head Start was trying to set the Guinness Book of Records for the most people reciting the "ABC Song" sequentially, the police officers were there, not just to provide security and crowd control, but to participate in the record attempt.

"A lot of police officers came on their time off," McFarland said.

"They're the best possible role model. They come and have lunch with the kids. They don't mind eating spaghetti with kids," she said adding that they are always very positive and very respectful.

And Officer Brian Hanson, the COPS officer this year, reads to them and eats with them.

"He sits in the middle of the floor with 12 to 17 children mobbing him and he doesn't mind," McFarland said.

"It's important that the children see them in positive light," she said.