News from the States: West Virginia School of Character Receives Attention

CEP’s site visit evaluation to an elementary school in West Virginia garnered special attention this year. West Virginia’s First Lady, Joanne Tomblin, was at the school, along with the head of the State Board of Education and original Rocket Boy, Roy Lee Cooke, and other dignitaries. Besides being the first school in West Virginia to become a State School of Character and the first to be named a National School of Character Finalist, Union Elementary School was honoring one of its teachers with a state award. “I chose quite a day to visit,” said Lara Maupin, CEP’s Director of the National Schools of Character program. “The dignitaries were there to present the West Virginia Teacher Achievement Award to one of the school’s teachers. It was quite an honor to be there and especially nice to see the Governor’s wife so supportive of education.”

Teacher Sondra Shaw received the achievement award given in memory of Freida J. Riley, teacher of the boys portrayed in the film Rocket Boys.  “We had some excellent applicants this year,” Cooke said, “but Sondra just stood out among all the other excellent teachers.” Cooke is a member of The Prodigy Foundation who presents the award annually along with a $5,000 cash award.

Union Elementary’s principal, Dr. Sara Stankus said, “We are so proud of our school. I thank our school family and our community for working together to make Union Elementary a great place for children to learn. This level of achievement does not take place without the support of parents, community and business partnerships.”

The school will find out in May whether it is named a National School of Character. Being named a School of Character national finalist was quite an honor for Union Elementary School in Buckhannon, WV, as it is the first West Virginia school to ever receive this distinction. [Update: Union Elementary School did in fact become a 2011 National School of Character.]

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