2 area schools nominated for Blue Ribbon honor

Crestview Elementary School, Travis Early College High School among 26 statewide

SAN ANTONIO – Crestview Elementary School in the Judson Independent School District and Travis Early College High School in the San Antonio Independent School District are among 26 statewide nominated for the National Blue Ribbon Honors.

According to the Texas Education Agency, the schools selected already are exemplary high-performing schools based on state assessments, yet they serve economically disadvantaged families. To be nominated, they must  be in the top 15 percent statewide scoring high enough in core areas such as English and math.

The winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. The announcement will be made in September.

"The hard work and determination on the part of the kids, the students (and) the teachers. This is something that we feel that they really deserve,” Adrianna Arredondo, interim principal at Travis Early College High School, said. 

Arredondo also called it "icing on the cake."

Yvonne Munoz, Crestview’s principal, said the nomination is an affirmation of her teachers’ dedication and commitment, as well as what they already knew, “Crestview is the best school on the planet.”

If they were to win, she said, “For a public school, I think it’s one of the highest honors.”

“Our school is a family. We all do whatever we need to do. Whatever is best for the kids, that’s what we do,” Robin Ratliff, a longtime fifth-grade teacher at Crestview, said.

Ratliff spoke highly of the students at Crestview.

“They don’t give up. They keep trying. They persevere,” Ratliff said.

Two of the students said their teachers deserve much of the credit.

Mara Rodriguez, a fifth-grader, said, “They influence us to never stop learning, to always reach for the stars.”

For example, there’s Lilly Mauldin, another fifth-grader, who said she’s known since she was in first grade, “I’m going to be the President of the United States.”

WEB EXTRA: Crestview E.S. TEA data assessment

Rodriguez, who wants to be a lawyer, perhaps Mauldin’s attorney general, is in the school’s bilingual program. The principal said 26 percent of her students lack proficiency in English.

Rodriguez is 10 and fluent in two languages.

“It gives more opportunity to speak to the world,” she said in perfect Spanish.


About the Author:

Jessie Degollado has been with KSAT since 1984. She is a general assignments reporter who covers a wide variety of stories. Raised in Laredo and as an anchor/reporter at KRGV in the Rio Grande Valley, Jessie is especially familiar with border and immigration issues. In 2007, Jessie also was inducted into the San Antonio Women's Hall of Fame.