Each year in late October I have the privilege of hosting the Annual SCORE Prize celebration. Every year just gets better and last night was no exception! We had a great time with school representatives from across the state and country music artist Dustin Lynch.

The SCORE Prize celebrates success in Tennessee’s schools, and this year we had much to celebrate! We awarded three $10,000 awards to individual schools and one $25,000 award to a school district for outstanding work with Tennessee’s students.

We also rewarded the students themselves. Students were invited to submit videos, essays, and creative writings that documented their experiences in classrooms and schools that have helped prepare them for their future through our Students Rise to the Challenge campaign. Last night we gave $250 college scholarships to three creative students for their entries.

The competition this year was fierce; I’m proud to say I think it gets tougher each year! Choosing the winners is the task of the SCORE Prize Selection Committee. They serve as crucial partners in planning and designing selection criteria for the SCORE Prize, and they give their time examining data and visiting schools and districts across the state. They’ve done great work this year, and we are grateful!

The 2014 winners are:

• Dresden Elementary School
• Hillsboro Elementary/Middle School
• Covington High School
• Kingsport City Schools (district award)

The Students Rise to the Challenge winners are:

• Katie Workman, a third-grader at Foothills Elementary School of Maryville City Schools
• Vincent Gould, a sixth-grader at Robinson Middle School of Kingsport City Schools
• Spencer Beckman, a 12th-grader at Central Magnet School of the Rutherford County School District

You can get all the details on the 2014 SCORE Prize finalists and winners at the SCORE website, and be sure to look for upcoming case studies of best practices gleaned from these winners.

Congratulations again to SCORE, the winning schools, and all of the educators who are working so hard for excellence in Tennessee schools. I’m so proud of all you’ve accomplished, and I can’t wait to see what you do in this coming year!