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Sussex Consortium holds Community Helper Day

Students get to know local heroes
Kovian Hack, a student in the Sussex Consortium’s Little Vikings program, practices his hairdressing skills on a mannequin at the Bad Hair Day? Rehoboth station at the fourth annual Community Helper Day, held at the Sussex Consortium Sept. 26. ELLEN MCINTYRE PHOTOS
Ellen McIntyre
October 22, 2025

The Sussex Consortium’s fourth annual Community Helper Day took place Sept. 26.

The event gives students an opportunity to engage with local heroes and learn how they contribute to various aspects of the community, such as public safety, health and well-being.

This year’s event was the biggest yet, with 12 interactive stations, each run by members of a different local agency or organization. Participating agencies included the Milton Police Department, Lewes Police Department, Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Delaware State Police Community Engagement and Aviation Units, Sussex Consortium school nurse Torie Carter, Beebe’s Community Mobile Health Clinic, Sussex County EMS, Sussex County Mobile Command, Coastal Kids Pediatric Dentistry, Lewes Fire Department, restaurant group SoDel Concepts and hair salon Bad Hair Day? Rehoboth.

 

At the Coastal Kids Pediatric Dentistry station, kids and adults watch excitedly as the Delaware State Police helicopter takes off and leaves the event. Standing in back are (l-r) Yarenzi Navarro and Dr. Jeremy Irving of Coastal Kids Pediatric Dentistry and Little Vikings teacher Ashley Rowe. Sitting in back are (l-r) Coastal Kids’ Karina Niz and Karina Gonzalez, along with Little Vikings students Zayden Brown-Daniels, Emmett McCallum, Cameron Funhouser and Max Guidash. Sitting in front are Austin Johnson, Grace Harmansky, Danelda Davis-Tingle, Ji’Nier Wright and David Ramirez-Ortiz. Kneeling are paraeducator Liz Fortner and student Caden Kemmerlin.
Noelle Mills, a registered nurse with Beebe Healthcare, helps Sussex Consortium student Darkyr Major listen to his heartbeat through a stethoscope. The two are in Beebe’s Community Mobile Health Clinic.
Grace Harmansky, left, and Danelda Davis-Tingle enjoy the day.
Delaware State Police Trooper Pilot Kevin Crossland, Cpl. 3, left, shows Sussex Consortium student Isaac Francois the inside of a DSP helicopter.
Brynnleigh Abele tries on a Milton Police Department vest.
Delaware State Police Sr. Cpl. Patrick Jackson shows some of the police equipment to a group of Little Vikings students and teachers.
These state trooper vests and jacket are a little big on Little Vikings students (l-r) Asher Natoli, John “Cohen” Jones and Carter Denyus.
The LED lights on the Delaware Natural Resources Police car are a big hit among the Little Vikings students.
Elizabeth Machic Cotoc tries on a state trooper vest.
Ahmid Soto, a student at Little Vikings, is held by Principal Elizabeth Cherico. They’re joined by Sen. Russ Huxtable, D-Lewes.
John Adkins holds his son Hudson.
Kellan Sayler hangs out in the front seat of a Delaware Natural Resources Police car.
Student Isaac Francois gets comfortable in the driver’s seat of a Delaware State Police patrol car.

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Ellen McIntyre is a reporter covering education and all things Dewey Beach. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State - Schreyer Honors College in May 2024, then completed an internship writing for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In 2023, she covered the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand as a freelancer for the Associated Press and saw her work published by outlets including The Washington Post and Fox Sports. Her variety of reporting experience covers crime and courts, investigations, politics and the arts. As a Hockessin, Delaware native, Ellen is happy to be back in her home state, though she enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures. She also loves live music, reading, hiking and spending time in nature.

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