Wylandville celebrates winning Blue Ribbon

By Dawn Goodman Staff writer
dgoodman@observer-reporter.com
EIGHTY FOUR – With music, video and speeches Friday, Wylandville Elementary School celebrated winning the national Blue Ribbon Award.
The school is the second in Canon-McMillan to win the prestigious award in the past few years. Wylandville is one of 254 schools across the country that won the academic achievement award for 2010. The award honors schools whose students achieve at high levels or have made significant progress and helped close gaps in achievement, especially among disadvantaged and minority students.
The U.S. Department of Education announced the winners in September and held the awards ceremony in November.
“Wylandville is truly a special place,” said Superintendent Helen McCracken, who was once principal at the elementary school. “There’s no higher honor than a blue ribbon. It’s like winning the gold medal at the Olympics. You can’t get any better than that.”
She was one of several dignitaries who spoke during the celebration, where all the students and staff were wearing blue T-shirts shouting their Blue Ribbon success. They also watched a video created by teachers called “Wylandville through the Years,” that looked back at the history of the school.
“You guys have basically won the Super Bowl of education,” state Sen.-elect Tim Solobay said as he gave a special state citation to the school.
Wylandville holds a special place in the heart of school board President Debbie Link because three of her daughters attended the school.
“We knew it was a special place then and are not surprised it has risen to be honored as a special place in our nation,” Link said.
Dave Coder, who works in U.S. Rep. Mark Critz’s office, brought the school a copy of the Congressional Record from when Critz spoke on the floor about Wylandville earning the Blue Ribbon Award.
Coder said his daughter was a student teacher at Wylandville last year.
“She told me what a wonderful school it was,” he said.
State Rep.-elect Brandon Newman, a former student at Wylandville, said it was great to come back to the school.
“This is a fantastic award, a fantastic opportunity,” he said, adding that teachers and parents have done a great job at Wylandville. “It’s a collaborative effort to make this a Blue Ribbon School.”
Grace Lani, the district’s director of curriculum and instruction who was the principal when Wylandville won the award, presented the plaque from the U.S. Department of Education that will hang on the school wall.
“We should be very proud,” she said. “You should be Wylandville proud.”

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