Hi from Bear Essential News, Educators!

Thank you for utilizing Bear Essential News in your classroom this year. We’ve received several requests for our free classroom presentations and look forward to getting your students excited about writing.

As we celebrate 45 years of delivering only the best news to kids and classrooms, this SeptemBear issue is extraordinary. The feature encourages young people to explore club offerings, from LEGO Robotics to singing to Girl Scouts. This issue also launches Boomer Bear’s 2025-26 Field Trips & Family Outings guide. To request newspapers for your school, please call toll free: 1-866-NEWS KID (639-7543). We happen to have extra copies of this month’s edition available!

The standards-based Worksheets that augment this issue are posted on our website. Teachers can sign up here for worksheet notifications through the website.

As part of its 45-year celebration, Bear Essential News is excited to roll out its all-new website in the very near future!

On page 14 of Bear’s Phoenix-edition, third-graders can enter Valley Metro’s Cool Transit STUFF 3rd Grade Art Contest. “Move Smart, Play Your Part” is this year’s theme for third-graders to come up with their best art to encourage others to hop on Valley Metro bus, light rail or streetcar to get to their destinations—Deadline for entries is Oct. 10.

Our community page, called “In Our Neighborhood,” features Shamrock Farms and what it offers for field trips and family tours.

Educators can give us a call at 1-866-NEWS KID to set up free classroom presentations on writing and/or reporting! Visits by Bear editors are made possible by the non-profit Bear Essential Educational Services (BEES). Details of the five presentations and recommended grade levels are online under the Teachers tab.

Teachers or parents can encourage students in grades 3 thru 8 to join the free Young Reporters Program and start writing for the newspaper! Students cover the stories that interest them. Young Reporters receive an official YR Kit to help get them started, and we are looking for a volunteer Adviser at every school.

This program and these worksheets are also made possible by BEES.

Sincerely,

Stephen B Gin, editor