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Monday, March 18, 2024

Wrightsville Beach Elementary national Blue Ribbon award recognizes ‘excellent students’

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With blue ribbons in one hand and ice cream in the other, the students of Wrightsville Beach Elementary on Monday celebrated the school’s 2016 National Blue Ribbon School from the Department of Education.

Announced in September, the school is one of 279 public and 50 private schools to earn the honor, being recognized in the category of “Exemplary High Performing Schools.”

Visitors to the school will know about the award for years to come, as the award comes with the right to fly a flag that signifies the designation. On Monday, Norvell and his students posed for a photo with the flag, with the kids holding the blue ribbons they received high in the air.

“The flag is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning,” Norvell told the students.

The award is presented to less than one-half of one percent of schools across the nation, Norvell told the students. These schools have a common denominator, Norvell said: “Really excellent students.”

While the students were excited about the ribbons, they erupted at the announcement that they would also be getting ice cream, as teachers held up two fingers, the signal that they needed to quiet down.

“I did the best I could to explain what this means and why this sets them apart,” Norvell said.

The students reveled in the award. Third-grader Isabella Woodbury said she knew what the award meant.

“We’re one of the best schools in the U.S.,” said Woodbury, whose favorite subject is science. “I’m going to hang the ribbon in my room and brag to my friends.”

The school’s unique marine science program was one of the contributing factors in the school receiving the award, Norvell said.

Woodbury’s friend Scarlett Sweyer, also a third grader, said that even though her favorite subject is art, she enjoys the school’s marine science program.

“Two times a year we get to kayaking, and we also got see ink from a squid and do a report on sharks,” Sweyer said.

A week earlier, Norvell, WBS teacher Katherine Patel and New Hanover County Superintendent Tim Markley  traveled to Washington, D.C. to accept the award and participate in two days of education-focused workshops. One of the focuses of the workshops was how the school can leverage its award for publicity.

“When I went, I wasn’t aware of how prestigious the award really was,” said Norvell, who said schools from across the entire nation were represented at the conference. “It’s not everyday you can share positive, good news like this.”

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