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Blue Ribbon Celebration
NWECHS Named National Blue Ribbon School
Posted on 10/10/2018
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Northwest Early College named National Blue-Ribbon School

By Lhaisha Contreras

For the students and staff in Canutillo ISD, October 1 will be a memorable day. The U.S. Department of Education announced the schools that earned a 2018 Blue Ribbon Award -- the highest honor given to a school by the federal government -- and Canutillo ISD's Northwest Early College High School was on the list.

Northwest is Canutillo's first Blue Ribbon School and joins an elite group of schools nationwide that have shown excellence in academics. The Texas Education Agency nominated it for the national award in the Exemplary High-Performing category.

Students and teachers gathered to celebrate and when the announcement was made, the proud crowd of students cheered loudly.  The school also recently celebrated their 10-year anniversary.

"Northwest Early College is one of El Paso's best schools, and we are proud that the federal government awarded it its highest honor," said Superintendent Dr. Pedro Galaviz. "The work being done at Northwest is a reflection of the high-quality education we are providing all students in Canutillo."

Northwest’s principal Tracy Speaker-Gerstheimer is very excited and proud of her students, faculty and staff for this accomplishment.

“I think winning this Blue Ribbon is just one example of the great things happening in this district,” Speaker-Gerstheimer said. “We are a family of problem solvers. We don’t leave family behind and I think that’s the thing that makes us unique.”

Speaker-Gerstheimer and a few other CISD staff members will attend the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program awards ceremony on November 7-8 in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Secretary of Education will celebrate with the Blue Ribbon honorees.