Earlier this week Chapman High School was one of 286 in the nation to be recognized in Washington D.C. with a 2013 National Blue Ribbon Award.

A celebration was held Friday morning in the USD 473 district gym in Chapman. Each of the schools within the district was in attendance.

During the celebration Dr. Diane DeBacker, Kansas Commissioner of Education, congratulated Chapman High School on the award,”As a high performing high school all of your students consistently score high on state assessments in math and reading. Performing high on the state assessment takes commitment, it takes dedication from the student, from the staff, from the parents and from the community.”

Collette Erickson has been teaching at Chapman High School for 32 years and was one of the representatives of the school that went to Washington D.C. to accept the award. “Chapman High School is a school of Excellence. I was never more aware of that quality than in the days, weeks and months after the tornado destroyed our school in 2008.”

CHS is one of only three high schools in the state that were honored with the award. The other two included Campus High School in Wichita and West Franklin High School in Pomona.

Lacee Sell, USD 473 Superintendent, said that the award only validates what they do and talk about,”In that being that we do whats best for kids and for all kids and that we have high expectations.”