The National Blue Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education recognizes public schools based on their overall academic excellence or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. Lincoln Elementary School in Hyrum is one of only two schools in Utah to be recognized; Lakeridge Jr. High School in Orem is the second.
Recipients will be awarded with the coveted plaque and flag as symbols of their status. Lynnette Riggs, the principal at Lincoln Elementary leaves Friday for Washington D.C. with her special education teacher, Mandi Green.
“Oh, it is amazing for us,” Riggs said. “We are a Title I school and we’ve had a hard journey. For Cache County School District we have the highest poverty rate and also the largest multi-cultural mix than any of the other schools in our school district.”
Riggs said the Cache County School District is paying for her trip and that she is only able to take one person with her. Riggs said Green won the privilege fair and square.
“I wish I could take all of the children. I wish I could take all of the teachers, but I couldn’t. So we decided, as a faculty, the only way that would be fair is if we put everybody’s name in a hat,” Riggs said.
The award affirms the hard work of students, educators, families and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging content. Two-hundred and ninety public schools have been recognized this year nationally.
