LONGMONT

Twin Peaks teacher among 22 Colorado Teacher of the Year semifinalists

Two local charter school teachers, one from Boulder Valley and the other from St. Vrain Valley, are among this year’s 22 Colorado Teacher of the Year semifinalists.

In St. Vrain, Julie Ahrens is a kindergarten teacher at Longmont’s Twin Peaks Classical Academy. She has been an educator for six years. In Boulder Valley, Elizabeth Rose Tarbutton is a math teacher at Lafayette’s Peak to Peak Charter School. She has been an educator for 16 years.

The 22 semifinalists were selected from a pool of 419 applicants from 106 school districts. The semifinalist selection review committee included previous Colorado Teacher of the Year winners, Colorado Department of Education staff members and representatives from the Boettcher Foundation. The Boettcher Foundation is the lead sponsor of the Colorado Teacher of the Year program.

The next phase of the application process includes additional essay questions. The Colorado Department of Education will announce its finalists for 2026 Teacher of the Year in September and name a winner in October.

To learn more about the semifinalists, go to cde.state.co.us/cdeawards/ctoy-2026-semifinalists.

D-Day rally to be held downtown on Friday

A national “Call to Action” rally, initiated by U.S. veterans in opposition to Department of Veterans Affairs cuts under the Trump administration, is coming to Longmont on Friday, which marks the 81st anniversary of D-Day, the first day of the Normandy Invasions in 1944.

The event will bring people together to “celebrate the 81st anniversary of D-Day and honor the brave men and women who changed the course of history and preserved Democracy,” according to the event website.

Friday’s rally at Sixth Avenue and Main Street from 3 to 5 p.m. is one of over 100 D-Day protests and rallies that are planned across 43 states.

Six demonstrations are being held in Colorado alone.

— Staff reports