BOARDMAN — A sea of blue filled West Boulevard Elementary School on Friday, after students and faculty learned the school was named a National Blue Ribbon School the day before.

“It validates everything we’re doing,” said Principal Al Cervello, noting that hard work from students, parents and teachers is working. “It tells us we’re going in the right direction.”

The announcement came Thursday afternoon. West Boulevard is one of 367 schools in the country to receive the award under the U.S. Department of Education program.

Teachers donned blue masks with the National Blue Ribbon logo. Students will be receiving the same mask in the near future, Cervello said.

The school was honored as an Exemplary High Performing School. State assessments or nationally normed tests as well as closing achievement gaps between a school’s student groups and all students over the past five years are included in the deciding factor for receiving the award.

West Boulevard received the award in 2011, which Cervello said was a “wonderful accomplishment.”

Being recognized this year, however, has a little more meaning due to the constant uncertainty associated with the novel coronavirus pandemic.

“It really made everyone feel a sense of community, a sense of school pride,” Cervello said.

Schools must wait five years between nominations.