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Three Utah elementary schools are among the nation's most successful. They're being recognized with an award from the U.S. Department of Education.
The Blue Ribbon awards go to Oakridge, Mona, and Mapleton elementary schools. They're just three of more than 300 schools in the country to show superior achievement on year-end tests.
Principal Rosanne Newell of Oakridge Elementary said, "The very minute I got the call, I went right on the intercom and I said, ‘We've just been chosen a national NCLB Blue Ribbon School award winner.' You could hear cheers going up from the various rooms. So it was pretty exciting."
The students at Oakridge Elementary know all about their new Blue Ribbon status and they know what they did to get it.
Fifth grader Gideon Mahler said, "It's some big award and only three schools in Utah have gotten it."
Another fifth grader, Annie Peterson, said, "It's a school that gets really high test scores."
Their test scores are in the top 10 percent of the state.
"Everyone is really smart here," Peterson said.
Plus, they get to learn by doing. Today, some fifth graders worked to solve a musical problem. "We get to do activities instead of just reading a book, which I like," Peterson told us.
Last year in music class they learned a song about the rock cycle that their teacher made up.
Gideon Mahler said, "It rhymed the word ‘obsidian' with other words that helped you remember that it was made volcanically."
The song came in handy while Gideon was taking the year-end test. "You could just sing it in your head and it would help you remember," he said.
Principal Newell said, "When children sing and dance and do art and drama integrated into the core curriculum, they learn it better."
She is proud of her school's achievement. "It just makes it a very exciting place to be," she said.
Rosanne Newell/Principal, Oakridge Elementary School: "IT JUST MAKES IT A VERY EXCITING PLACE TO BE."
Her students are proud of the achievement as well.
Annie Peterson said, "It feels special, and it's fun. It makes you feel good that your hard work paid off."
Principal Newell will join the principals from Mona and Mapleton elementary schools next month for a special awards ceremony in Washington D.C.
E-mail: corton@ksl.com
