Bennington Chamber of Commerce Celebrates New Horizon Academy Opening With Ribbon Cutting

By Marisa Dawson

A group of six individuals standing in front of a new building for New Horizon Academy, holding a blue ribbon and scissors for a ribbon-cutting ceremony. — *Directors from New Horizon Academy and members of the Bennington Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting crew pose for a photo before cutting the ribbon.*

The Bennington Chamber of Commerce welcomed another new business to the growing community Tuesday afternoon, celebrating the opening of New Horizon Academy with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The childcare center, which opened in late July following its new-build process, has already enrolled about 40 students and has the capacity to serve up to 184 children.

For regional manager Heidi Oppegard, the decision to bring New Horizon Academy to Bennington was rooted in what the company saw happening around the community.

“To decide where we’re going to place, we look for growing communities and we look for demographics,” Oppegard said during the ribbon cutting.

The growth in Bennington has become increasingly visible in the years since the site was first considered. As new neighborhoods continue to take shape around the center, New Horizon Academy is now preparing to grow alongside them.

A group of individuals celebrating outside the New Horizon Academy building, with a ribbon and scissors, during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The Minnesota-based, family-owned childcare company has expanded to more than 100 locations across several states, and the Bennington center is part of its continued growth in Nebraska. Oppegard said the company has already opened several locations in the state, with additional Nebraska communities planned for the future.

But while New Horizon Academy may bring experience from opening childcare centers in communities across the region, Oppegard said each location develops its own personality.

“You know, every school is different. Every school has their own personality. Every school has their own vibe,” she said. “And I feel like the team here, they fit the Bennington vibe so well.”

She said one of the things that has stood out about Bennington has been the response from families, including neighbors who watched construction unfold and were eager to see what would eventually open.

A group of adults observes a colorful play area featuring wooden play structures, toys, and educational materials, with motivational quotes displayed on the walls. — *Chamber members had an opportunity to tour the new center after the ribbon cutting.*

“Every tour that’s come in, everybody’s been so welcoming. They’ve been so excited,” Oppegard said. “They’re so excited to see, you know, they live in the neighborhood behind us, and they’re like, we’ve been watching this since day one.”

That enthusiasm has continued since the center opened.

“I feel like just that we’re able to serve these families that live in this neighborhood who’ve been waiting,” Oppegard said.

New Horizon Academy’s Bennington director, Jessica Buckles, said the connections already forming between the center and its families have been one of the highlights of the opening process.

“Honestly, I think just the Bennington community, I think that all the parents that we’ve had have been so great,” Buckles said. “We have great parent engagement and I think that really feels so fulfilling because they’re so appreciative of what we do.”

She said families have already shown their support by participating in events and becoming engaged with the school and one another.

“They just build such a great family within our school with their kiddos and their engagement,” Buckles said. “So I think that’s it- the parents we have.”

For Buckles, that sense of connection reflects something she has also seen throughout the larger Bennington community.

Three women holding a large blue ribbon in front of the New Horizon Academy building during a ribbon-cutting ceremony. — *From left to right: Heidi Oppegard, Jessica Buckles, Tatyana Evans.*

“I just think that New Horizon, the foundation is based off connection and I think we find that throughout the community of Bennington,” she said. “The chamber and other businesses, they’ve just been so inviting and it’s nice to see that. I feel like New Horizon’s values and morals we find throughout Bennington.”

Assistant Director Tatyana Evans said one of her favorite parts of the opening has been watching both the staff and families begin to come together.

“Hiring our teachers, having our teachers come on board and seeing them light up in their own ways and bringing their ideas to our company, as well as just seeing all of the families and how close they already are before even coming here,” Evans said. “It’s been very special to see that.”

As Bennington continues to grow, Evans said it has also been exciting to become part of a community welcoming new organizations and businesses.

“It means a lot to be able to be part of the community,” she said. “I know Bennington is growing so there’s a lot of things coming this way. Being able to see all the new businesses that just started themselves, seeing them grow as fast as we are.”

Looking ahead, Evans said she hopes the center can continue contributing to the relationships already present among Bennington families while helping young children build connections that may continue beyond their time at New Horizon Academy.

“For us, I think just bringing out more unity, bringing more families together,” she said. “I know that they already have that, but being able to help the kiddos have something to go on forever, especially with us helping them get to kindergarten.”

For now, with its first group of students settling in and more families expected to join them, the newly opened center is beginning its own place within a community that had been watching and waiting for its arrival.

“We were part of Bennington Daze not too long ago, and it just felt so homey. It felt so good,” Oppegard said. “And I feel like that’s really what Bennington is.”

A group of four adults engages in discussion in a classroom setting designed for young children, featuring play areas and educational toys.

A group of four individuals stands in a modern office space, listening to a woman in black and white attire who is speaking animatedly. The setting features comfortable chairs, a desk with a computer, and decorative elements along the walls.

A bright and colorful classroom filled with various toys and learning materials. Two women are present, one standing near the entrance wearing a blue shirt and the other observing from a distance. The room features wooden furniture, activity tables, and shelves filled with educational toys.

A brightly lit preschool classroom featuring wooden tables and chairs, decorated with colorful educational materials and toys. Two adults are present, engaging in conversation, while various play areas are visible in the background.