West Vincent Elementary celebrates Blue Ribbon School recognition
WEST VINCENT >> The last time an Owen J. Roberts School District school was named a National Blue Ribbon School, the year was 2003.
So, on Friday, when the district celebrated the 201920 recognition of West Vincent Elementary School, the excitement was palpable. Teachers, staff, board members, administrators and public officials all beamed with pride.
But perhaps none were more excited than the nearly 600 students who attend the school. Filling the school gym with a sea of blue shirts, they danced, they applauded, and they directed their full attention to the speakers who, one after another, took the podium before the school’s stage.
At the end of the program, when Principal Edward Smith showed a video about the school featuring every grade, the entire student body clapped gleefully along to the music.
The ceremony itself was not only a tribute to the national award, which is given to less than one-half of one percent of schools each year, Smith said, but it was also a celebration of the joy of teaching and learning fostered at West Vincent.
It ended with teachers, wearing blue leis and white shirts, lining up in the center row and dancing, to the delight of the students. That dance was led by the OJR Wildcat mascot, accompanied by Smith.
The event featured a number of speakers, including state Sen. Katie Muth, state Reps. Danielle Friel Otten and Tim Hennessey, along with Amber Little Turner, a representative from US Sen. Pat Toomey’s office.
Smith kicked off the ceremony with a speech that drew comparisons between the school and the Super Bowl.
“I have a Super Bowl team here,” he told the students seated on the floor of the gym. He acknowledged the work of the school board, administration, support staff, parents, teachers and students in bringing about the National Blue Ribbon award.
“Among the most important team members are all the adults in this building. They all work together as a team,” Smith said.
Turner then took the podium, reading a congratulatory letter from Toomey. She was followed by Friel Otten, who led the students in a round of applause and read a citation from the State House of Representatives. The citation noted that West Vincent was one of only 362 public and private schools in the nation, and one of only 18 in Pennsylvania, to be recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 2019-20.
Muth also presented a citation and got the students to stand up and dance.
“Keep up the good work,” she told them. She was followed by Hennessey, who had words of gratitude for the children.
“Thank you for making us look good in the eyes of the nation,” Hennessey said.
Among the last to speak was Ken Swart, former principal of East Coventry Elementary School. Swart was at the helm when that school was named a National Blue Ribbon School in 2003.
“I know how hard it is to be a Blue Ribbon School,” Swart told the students. “It’s been a long time since we’ve gotten another, and you got it for us.”
The final speakers were three sixth grade students who spoke with pride about their school, classmates and teachers.
“I’m very honored to be part of one of the few schools in the country to be a Blue Ribbon School,” said student Gus Smith. “To me, the teachers I’ve been assigned to are more like friends.”
While most who spoke had messages for the students, administrators and staff, OJR Superintendent Susan Lloyd directed her comments toward the legislators in the room.
“My hope is that you will leave here today with a deeper commitment to public education and that you are compelled to create schools like West Vincent all across Pennsylvania,” Lloyd said.