Classy Awards Celebrate Division-Wide Achievements

There is excellence in every corner of Prince William County Public Schools.

Parents, students, and staff from across the county got confirmation of that Tuesday night as they packed the Battlefield High School Auditorium for the first bi-annual Classy Awards, a celebration of outstanding achievement from every part of the School Division.

More than 300 student and staff honorees received a Classy trophy, formally known as “World Class Honors,” as recognition for surpassing high standards and earning major awards established by national, state, and regional organizations. Classy Awards for achievements in Academics, Athletics, and the Arts went to more than 250 high-achieving students. Outstanding teachers, administrators and coaches picked up awards in the Education category, with the contributions of their colleagues in areas such as school finance earning awards for Educational Support.

The ceremony marked a departure from smaller celebrations that usually separated student accomplishments from those of staff, or focused only on recognizing achievements within a single school or activity, unintentionally obscuring the bigger picture. “Tonight we begin something very different,” Superintendent Steven Walts told the crowd, “a unified celebration of excellence across our entire school division.”

Staff members such as Virginia ’s Driver Education Teacher of the Year, an award-winning Purchasing Department, and the winner of The Washington Post’s Distinguished Educational Leadership Award were recognized on the same stage as scores of high school scholars who earned outstanding marks on standardized tests and athletes who played their way to state or regional acclaim. The ceremony and gala reception included Elementary and Middle School recipients of individual honors such as the National Federation for the Blind’s Braille Readers are Leaders Award, and the first-prize winner in the National Young Inventors competition. Joining them were a wide range of champion athletes, musicians, and outstanding teachers.

School Board Chairman Lucy Beauchamp explains that staff and students at Prince William County Schools excel so much that it can often be difficult to keep track of all of their achievements, making the new awards program such a perfect match for the growing county.

“If you haven’t had the opportunity to get the bigger picture of the accomplishments of students and staff all across our county, you’ve been missing out,” said Beauchamp. “That’s why I’m thrilled that the Classy Awards can help us show everyone the seeds of success that are blossoming throughout our school division.”

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