Behind the Blue Ribbon: How O’Gorman creates culture of excellence

This paid piece is sponsored by Bishop O’Gorman Schools.

As hundreds of blue balloons fell on the heads of O’Gorman High School students, the feeling of excitement filled the school’s auditorium. O’Gorman High School Principal Joan Mahoney grinned from ear to ear as the student body celebrated winning a National Blue Ribbon School Award for the fourth time.

“This award is about so much more than ACT scores. Our application talked about our Academic Services that allows every student to be successful, we talked about the 20,000 service hours that you complete in a year, we talked about our faith community and how we come together in prayer in times of celebration and in times of need, we talked about the incredible involvement of our student body; all of you are part of this, ” Mahoney said during the celebration.

O’Gorman High School is one of only 10 high schools in the nation to have received the National Blue Ribbon School Award four times. It previously was awarded the honor in 1985, 2005 and 2014.

But O’Gorman High School isn’t the only Blue Ribbon School in the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools system. O’Gorman Junior High, St. Mary Elementary and St. Katharine Drexel Elementary also have been recognized as Blue Ribbon School Award recipients.

So what goes into making a Blue Ribbon School? Wade Charron, principal of O’Gorman Junior High School, said it’s a combination of the culture created by Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools’ students and staff, and their continued commitment to learning.

“I think achieving Blue Ribbon status helps tell the story of your school’s culture, expectations and standards. When you combine these with the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools’ focus on the spiritual formation of our students, staff and faculty, it exemplifies what it really means to live out our school system’s mission. A prestigious award such as being named a National Blue Ribbon School is a byproduct of doing many of the little things right over and over again,” added Charron.

Though Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools often is recognized for its success in academics, students said it’s not just the schoolwork that defines their schools’ community.

“I love how supportive the atmosphere is. I have so many teachers backing me up and helping me get closer and closer to my dreams,” said Megan VanDenHemel, a senior at O’Gorman.

Teachers add that the work ethic of their students has consistently contributed to the ability for multiple schools in the system to win this award.

Jeff Gordon, who has taught social studies at O’Gorman High School for 45 years and has been present for all four of the awards, said it’s something that has become synonymous with an O’Gorman education.

“It’s a constant that our students want to do well. Nobody rises to low expectations, and there certainly aren’t low expectations around here,” Gordon explained.

Sen. John Thune and Mayor Paul TenHaken were both on hand to celebrate O’Gorman’s latest award in October and spoke to the student body about its larger meaning.

This remarkable achievement “doesn’t happen by chance. It doesn’t happen by circumstance. It happens because of an investment that people here make in a culture of excellence. Your teachers, your administrators and your staff have invested in making O’Gorman High School a quality place to learn and to grow and to develop your skill sets to prepare for the future in 1985, 2005, 2014 and now in 2021. You are a part of that wonderful and great heritage. Don’t take it for granted, ” Thune said.

It is impossible to ignore Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools students’ eagerness to learn and the gratefulness they have for the support of their teachers, the administration and fellow students. When walking the halls of any Bishop O’Gorman Catholic School, you will find a community that offers help, encouragement and a sense of belonging. This is what truly sets Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools apart. And that is something that is sure to help the Blue Ribbon legacy continue well into the future.

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