Celebrate Your School Awards

May Awardee: At St. Michael Catholic School, a literacy initiative has become a powerful catalyst for professional growth. That transformation is evident in how teachers work together. By embracing the science of reading and treating data as a tool for empowerment rather than evaluation, teachers have developed a more intentional, consistent approach to instruction. Staff regularly meet across grade levels to analyze data, share strategies, and support one another in refining their practice. The result is a faculty that is more aligned, more confident, and more unified in its commitment to helping every student become a strong reader.

At St. Michael, progress has come not from perfection, but from persistence, collaboration, and trust. Reading gains may be the most visible outcome, but the lasting change is a staff that has discovered its collective strength. The school is using Celebrate Your School Award funds to deepen its investment through continued coaching and professional development, ensuring teachers have the support to keep growing together.

May Awardee: At Shoals, fewer than 200 students walk the halls, but the opportunities available to them rival those of much larger schools. That success is rooted in intentional leadership and extraordinary teacher commitment. The School Leadership Team meets monthly with a structured agenda and a yearlong action plan for the Early College program. Student and teacher survey data, dual credit participation, and year-end results help shape schedules, professional development, and student supports.

Nine of the school’s 19 teachers have earned the graduate credentials required to teach dual credit courses, giving students access to more than 73 college credits across 10 pathways leading to the Indiana College Core and soon, an associate degree. The teachers also volunteer for after-school study sessions, chaperone college visits, and deep conversations with students about college expectations. help students imagine what is possible after graduation. College visit days, Senior Decision Day, alumni mentorship lunches, and a college and career fair featuring more than 60 organizations have made postsecondary planning a visible and celebrated part of school life. In a community where many students are the first in their families to attend college, Shoals has made a lasting investment in helping them take advantage of the postsecondary possibilities before them.

April Awardee: Bloomfield Middle and High School is bringing a wide range of postsecondary opportunities directly to students in this rural community. Through an open cohort Early College approach, about 61% of students are enrolled in dual credit courses, with nearly all earning some college credit. Students can take that even further, with the opportunity to earn 59 of the 60 credits required for an Associate of General Studies — all without ever leaving Bloomfield’s campus. Strong partnerships bring college credit and career-connected learning directly to students. Whether they’re pursuing a four-year degree, a technical certificate, or a career pathway, students build real momentum before they graduate.

February Awardee: Eastern Greene High School is expanding opportunities in a small rural setting — proving that size doesn’t limit ambition. Over the past year, the school strengthened counseling services by adding a Student Support Specialist, launched a Principal’s Advisory Committee to amplify student voice, and introduced new pathways that connect students directly to college and high-demand careers. A dual-credit engineering track with Ivy Tech, a P-CAP grant through CELL, and a partnership with the Indiana Uplands Microelectronics Academy are opening doors that didn’t exist before.

February Awardee: Greensburg Community High School is being recognized for building capacity, convening collaborators, and driving change through innovative senior celebrations that honor every post–high school pathway. Through its May 1 Signing Day—also known as May Day—GCHS celebrates enrollment, enlistment, and employment equally, bringing together colleges, military representatives, and local business and industry partners to formally recognize students’ next steps.