Commissioners recognize area schools, playwright
Washington County commissioners Thursday paid tribute to the hard work that went into earning U.S. Department of Education accolades as Blue-Ribbon Schools in the Bentworth and Canon-McMillan districts, and they also recognized a Washington High School senior whose one-act play was performed this past weekend at the City Theater in Pittsburgh.
Scott Martin, superintendent of Bentworth School District, and George Lammay, assistant superintendent, attended the meeting at Courthouse Square on behalf of Bentworth High School. They noted that fewer than six percent of the schools in the United States have received this honor.
“We’re just a little school sitting on the countryside,” Lammay said. “We went through a real socio-economic shift in our community,” which was once a coal mining hub.
Michael Daniels, Canon-McMillan superintendent, and Shannon Balch, principal, represented First Street Elementary School. Daniels said this is the third Blue Ribbon for Canon-McMillan since 2007. Wylandville Elementary also won the award, and First Street Elementary was previously recognized as a school with dramatically improving student performance.
The schools will receive their blue ribbon awards Nov. 9 and 10 in Washington, D.C. Bentworth is planning a celebration later that month, while Canon-McMillan will do the same in December.
Dr. Roberta DiLorenzo, Washington School District superintendent, and Brandy LaQuatra, English teacher, introduced Sasha Edwards, whose play, “Glad You’re Here,” beat out 350 entries from students in Pennsylvania and West Virginia to win Pittsburgh City Theatre’s Young Playwrights Contest.
The plot revolves around a character named Tony, who struggles with wanting to leave his hometown but feels he has too many obligations to his family at home.
Sasha is the daughter of Elsa Edwards, who also attended Thursday’s ceremony.