RIBBON CUTTING — Harding Middle School’s Wyatt Pool cuts a ceremonial blue ribbon Wednesday at an assembly celebrating their newfound status as a National Blue Ribbon School. -- Linda Harris

STEUBENVILLE — Harding Middle School students, their teachers and administrators donned school finery and waved blue thunder sticks Wednesday to celebrate their newfound status as a 2024 National Blue Ribbon School.

The Blue Ribbon designation celebrates schools that excel in academic performance or make significant strides in closing achievement gaps among different student groups. Harding Middle is one of 14 Ohio schools earning Blue Ribbons this year, and one of 356 schools nationwide.

Principal Bryan Mills served as master of ceremonies for the celebration, which concluded with a fall sports pep assembly featuring crowd favorites like the student-teacher dance off and a “dress the principal in football gear” relay. Harding’s cheerleaders and band also entertained the crowd.

Mills told the crowd assembled in Harding Stadium it “feels good to be out here, ready to celebrate such a huge accomplishment.”

“A Blue Ribbon School is a school that has been recognized for academic excellence, for closing the achievement gaps among students,” Mills said. “Over the last two years we’ve been designated a Project Lead the Way STEM School … We have been recognized by (Ohio Department of Education) as a five-star school last year; ODE recognized us to the National Blue Ribbon Committee and after some work from the staff and the students…we’re being recognized for 2024 as a Blue Ribbon School.”

Mayor Jerry Barilla was on hand for the festivities, sharing with kids how he once taught at Grant School in the south end of town and his pride in the achievements of some of his former students.

“We congratulate Harding Middle School, the students and faculty for being recognized and awarded a Blue Ribbon School (designation),” Barilla said. “Congratulations to the faculty for continuing your amazing work in preparing students for the future. And to the students, continue to work hard and take advantage of the priceless gift of education so that one day, you’ll be able to achieve what you want to be in life.”

A teacher told the crowd Harding is a NBRS “because of each of you.”

“Steubenville City Schools has always had a rich tradition of academic excellence and the staff and students at Harding model the stallion way in our words, actions and interactions,” she said. “You work as a team in the classroom to help and encourage each other; our staff works as a team to offer you many opportunities and to celebrate your success. We overcome obstacles together, which is why we are a five-star school, a Project Lead the Way School of distinction, a National Blue Ribbon School and the pride of the valley.”

Before playing his guitar and singing Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” for the crowd, eighth grader Cooper Crow told his schoolmates they were “here to celebrate something amazing.”

“This honor shows that our school is one of the best because of our hard work and our spirit that we bring to school every single day,” he said. “But this isn’t just about a title – its about never giving up, no matter how hard things get — whether it’s studying for a tough test or working hard in practice or if you’re facing personal challenges, we’ve proven that we push through as a team. Being a Blue Ribbon School means that we believe in ourselves and each other when we keep going, and if we never back down, never give up and we stand together, nothing can stop us.”

Another eighth-grader, Wyatt Pool, used an oversized pair of scissors to cut the ceremonial blue ribbon with members of the Steubenville City Schools board of education looking on.