Past Events

Model Congress - February 27, April 17 and May 21, 2007
The Herald News Model Congress provides a unique hands-on experience in government for local high school students from Passaic and Bergen Counties. Unlike other programs that create mock legislative bodies, the Herald News Model Congress recreates the dynamic of our two-chamber Congress. In 2007, over 170 students from 17 high schools participated in the program. Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., and Rep. Bill Pascrell, D-Paterson administered the oath of office to the student legislators at the final session.  Additionally, the Herald News staff works with student journalists from all participating schools to produce The Capitol Report, an online newspaper that appears at www.northjersey.com/modelcongress.   For more information, please click here.

Bear Hugs for the Holidays® - December 1 – December 31, 2006
For the ninth year, this end-of-the-year program helps provide cheer to hospital patients and disadvantaged children in community day-care centers during the holiday season. The program serves all 29 hospitals in North Jersey and three United Ways' serving Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Essex and West Hudson counties. The program has grown from 3,900 bears collected in 1998 to over 21,350 in 2006. Our ultimate goal is to distribute a bear to every person who passes through area hospitals during the holiday season. For more information, click here.

Annual Spelling Bee - March 10-15, 2007
The Record and Herald News sponsor the North Jersey Spelling Bee.  The winner of the 70th annual event was Neil Coleman, a sixth-grader at Tenafly Middle School.  Alvin George, an eighth-grader from David E. Owens Middle School in New Milford was runner-up.  Students in grades 4-8 from public, private or home schools in Bergen, Passaic, Morris, Essex, and Sussex counties are eligible to compete.