Governor's Visit
By: Liza King
Production Coordinator
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon visited Richland High School on October 7th to congratulate the students and staff on receiving the Missouri Gold Star award and on being named a 2016 Blue Ribbon School from the U.S. Department of Education. The Missouri Gold Star award was established in 1991 by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and it recognizes high-achieving and high improving schools.
“I want to offer my congratulations to the only high school in the state of Missouri this year that was named a Blue Ribbon school,” said Gov. Nixon during a group assembly of all of the students from Richland. “You are only limited by what you want to do. And when a community does what they’ve done here and a staff does what they have done to provide you an opportunity to do what you want to do – you need to live out your dreams. You need to keep your bar raised high just like many other Missourians that have had a lasting impact on America. Be what you want to be. This school has given you every possible opportunity to succeed.”
To receive the Missouri Gold Star, also known as the Elite Eight, a school building has to be in the Top 8 schools in the state of Missouri on all assessments for three consecutive years. If the school building drops in even one area, the building starts the three consecutive year process over. Of the Elite 8 Schools, seven were elementary schools. Richland was the only High School in the state of Missouri to receive the Gold Star Award in 2016.
Upon being one of the Top 8 Schools for three consecutive years in Missouri, DESE notifies the United States Department of Education that the school has achieved the highest state award and is in line for the highest United States award for assessment achievement. This award, known as the National Blue Ribbon Award, means that Richland R-1 High School has achieved the status of and has been named one of the best high schools in the entire nation. A school cannot be chosen or selected for either the Missouri Gold Star or National Blue Ribbon, the only way to earn these distinctions is for every student to academically outperform every other school in the entire state of Missouri for three and four consecutive years. Superintendent Frank Killian uses his own analogy referencing the award, “The process is simple to say, but hard to accomplish. If we were to compare this award to athletics, Richland would have to win the 1A State Basketball Championship for four consecutive years and let every student in school have equal playing time. This is how rare and difficult it is to receive the National Blue Ribbon award.”
The Secretary of Education, John B. King, Jr., recognized 329 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2016, and only 11 schools in Missouri were honored with the National Blue Ribbon Award. More than 7,500 schools across the country have been honored to receive this award. To be nominated, schools must have at least one hundred enrolled students. Nominated schools must meet the minimum requirements to be eligible and to be able to receive the award in Washington, D.C. For example, the school must be in the Top 15% of all schools when schools are ranked, the school has to be in existence for five full years, and the graduation rate for the school must be in the top 15% of all high school graduation rates in the state.
While Missouri Governor Jay Nixon was congratulating Richland on this great academic achievement, he drew the names of eight lucky students to be able to attend the National Blue Ribbon Award ceremony in Arlington, Virginia. These students included: Jessica Harmon, Sara Tackett, Bailey Glass, Paige Pinkley, Andrew Partenberry, Aaron Wells, Gavin Curd, and Devin Stoker. Richland staff members also making the trip were: School Board President Hollie Hughes, Lisa Taylor, Stephanie DePew, Kayelean Vance, Michael Qualls, Principal Cindy Rhodes, and Superintendent Frank Killian.
This unique opportunity of traveling to Washington, D.C. for the National Blue Ribbon Award ceremony also afforded the students and staff the ability to travel to New York City for one day. They were able to take in several sites, including the 9/11 memorial, Times Square, and seeing the Statue of Liberty from afar. While back in D.C., students were treated to the U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and Arlington Cemetery, as well as several other attractions.
Richland R-1 was the only school of the 329 Blue Ribbon schools that brought students to the awards ceremony. “Education is not just something that occurs in a classroom or when a student is asked to open a textbook. The school board allowing and providing this trip for several students means more to me than I can put into words! This trip was not only earned and deserved but was educational as well hopefully expanding the horizons for many students. If this trip can help students set higher goals for themselves and change their path in life, then this trip was more than worth the money spent, and it accomplished the goal Mrs. Rhodes and I hoped to achieve!” said Mr. Killian.
Many students at Richland have felt a very large sense of pride due to receiving the Blue Ribbon and the Gold Star. Eighth grader Jessica Harmon, who was a part of the trip, said, “I was so honored that I got the chance to go to D.C and experience all of the new things. I feel very lucky that I was picked out of so many other students. Hearing the news and receiving the award made me feel proud of my school.”
The Blue Ribbon and Gold Star were both recognized by banners hung in the gym during the 2016-2017 school year. One day the banners may come down, but the school will forever be recognized as a Blue Ribbon school.
Production Coordinator
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon visited Richland High School on October 7th to congratulate the students and staff on receiving the Missouri Gold Star award and on being named a 2016 Blue Ribbon School from the U.S. Department of Education. The Missouri Gold Star award was established in 1991 by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), and it recognizes high-achieving and high improving schools.
“I want to offer my congratulations to the only high school in the state of Missouri this year that was named a Blue Ribbon school,” said Gov. Nixon during a group assembly of all of the students from Richland. “You are only limited by what you want to do. And when a community does what they’ve done here and a staff does what they have done to provide you an opportunity to do what you want to do – you need to live out your dreams. You need to keep your bar raised high just like many other Missourians that have had a lasting impact on America. Be what you want to be. This school has given you every possible opportunity to succeed.”
To receive the Missouri Gold Star, also known as the Elite Eight, a school building has to be in the Top 8 schools in the state of Missouri on all assessments for three consecutive years. If the school building drops in even one area, the building starts the three consecutive year process over. Of the Elite 8 Schools, seven were elementary schools. Richland was the only High School in the state of Missouri to receive the Gold Star Award in 2016.
Upon being one of the Top 8 Schools for three consecutive years in Missouri, DESE notifies the United States Department of Education that the school has achieved the highest state award and is in line for the highest United States award for assessment achievement. This award, known as the National Blue Ribbon Award, means that Richland R-1 High School has achieved the status of and has been named one of the best high schools in the entire nation. A school cannot be chosen or selected for either the Missouri Gold Star or National Blue Ribbon, the only way to earn these distinctions is for every student to academically outperform every other school in the entire state of Missouri for three and four consecutive years. Superintendent Frank Killian uses his own analogy referencing the award, “The process is simple to say, but hard to accomplish. If we were to compare this award to athletics, Richland would have to win the 1A State Basketball Championship for four consecutive years and let every student in school have equal playing time. This is how rare and difficult it is to receive the National Blue Ribbon award.”
The Secretary of Education, John B. King, Jr., recognized 329 schools as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2016, and only 11 schools in Missouri were honored with the National Blue Ribbon Award. More than 7,500 schools across the country have been honored to receive this award. To be nominated, schools must have at least one hundred enrolled students. Nominated schools must meet the minimum requirements to be eligible and to be able to receive the award in Washington, D.C. For example, the school must be in the Top 15% of all schools when schools are ranked, the school has to be in existence for five full years, and the graduation rate for the school must be in the top 15% of all high school graduation rates in the state.
While Missouri Governor Jay Nixon was congratulating Richland on this great academic achievement, he drew the names of eight lucky students to be able to attend the National Blue Ribbon Award ceremony in Arlington, Virginia. These students included: Jessica Harmon, Sara Tackett, Bailey Glass, Paige Pinkley, Andrew Partenberry, Aaron Wells, Gavin Curd, and Devin Stoker. Richland staff members also making the trip were: School Board President Hollie Hughes, Lisa Taylor, Stephanie DePew, Kayelean Vance, Michael Qualls, Principal Cindy Rhodes, and Superintendent Frank Killian.
This unique opportunity of traveling to Washington, D.C. for the National Blue Ribbon Award ceremony also afforded the students and staff the ability to travel to New York City for one day. They were able to take in several sites, including the 9/11 memorial, Times Square, and seeing the Statue of Liberty from afar. While back in D.C., students were treated to the U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and Arlington Cemetery, as well as several other attractions.
Richland R-1 was the only school of the 329 Blue Ribbon schools that brought students to the awards ceremony. “Education is not just something that occurs in a classroom or when a student is asked to open a textbook. The school board allowing and providing this trip for several students means more to me than I can put into words! This trip was not only earned and deserved but was educational as well hopefully expanding the horizons for many students. If this trip can help students set higher goals for themselves and change their path in life, then this trip was more than worth the money spent, and it accomplished the goal Mrs. Rhodes and I hoped to achieve!” said Mr. Killian.
Many students at Richland have felt a very large sense of pride due to receiving the Blue Ribbon and the Gold Star. Eighth grader Jessica Harmon, who was a part of the trip, said, “I was so honored that I got the chance to go to D.C and experience all of the new things. I feel very lucky that I was picked out of so many other students. Hearing the news and receiving the award made me feel proud of my school.”
The Blue Ribbon and Gold Star were both recognized by banners hung in the gym during the 2016-2017 school year. One day the banners may come down, but the school will forever be recognized as a Blue Ribbon school.