Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Hutch Johnson | NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (November 8, 2022) - Capt. Teague J. Suarez, commanding...... read more read more
Rota Elementary School was recently recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a National Blue Ribbon School for 2022. The school celebrated this accomplishment with an assembly and parade on the school campus, Nov. 8, 2022.
The students and faculty gathered in the courtyard where they were met with Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota leadership, Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) leadership, and community members.
With live music in the background, the elementary students lapped the track while being cheered on by the middle/high school students, teachers and community members, before returning to the courtyard.
Kenneth Kirk, principal of the school, kicked off the assembly by explaining to the children the importance of this award.
“In the 40 years of the National Blue Ribbon program, less than 1% of the 90,000+ schools in the U.S. – public, private or charter – have ever received this award,” said Kirk. “We are honored to join this special group of schools.”
Kirk recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to attend the presentation ceremony and received the award on behalf of Rota Elementary School, Nov. 4. He explained that the school received the award for its exemplary high performance despite current challenges.
“It represents our response to a challenge in a moment of time – which was the Covid pandemic,” explained Kirk. “And our ability to deliver on our promise of providing excellent education to every student, every day, everywhere.”
Dr. Michelle Howard-Brahaney, DoDEA Europe Director for Student Excellence, presented Kirk with a certificate of exceptional achievement for the leadership, teachers, and staff of Rota Elementary School.
Closing out the assembly, NAVSTA Rota Commanding Officer, Capt. Teague Suarez, thanked and congratulated the students, staff, and faculty on this accomplishment.
“It’s hard to overstate how important the teachers and all the support they provide to this amazing collection of kids just how important it is to the base, to the Sailors, the Marines, and the Airmen who live and work here every day,” he said. “So from the bottom of my heart I would like to thank you for everything you do for these students.”
Rota Elementary School was one of three DoDEA schools – the others are Naples Elementary School in Naples, Italy and Shirley Lanham School in Kanagawa, Japan – to be recognized with the National Blue Ribbon Award for 2022. Rota Elementary School and David Glasgow Farragut (DGF) Middle/High School share a school campus in the housing area of NAVSTA Rota.
| Date Taken: | 11.14.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2022 08:48 |
| Story ID: | 433194 |
| Location: | ES |
| Web Views: | 336 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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