Singing, celebrating and dozens of blue balloons filled Parkside Elementary School’s gymnasium on Friday.

It’s the second consecutive year that a Powell school has been named a National Blue Ribbon school, and this year the students of Parkside Elementary hold the honor of attending one of the best schools in the country.

“I want you to think of the whole United States of America it’s big, right? And there’s lots of schools everywhere, right? So what this means is out of all those schools in every state, in every town in the country, you were recognized as one of the very best,” Principal Jason Hillman explained to a crowd of excited students.

Parkside was one of only three Wyoming schools selected.

Hillman highlighted the students goal setting and kindness to one another as reasons for being named a blue ribbon school.

In attendance to celebrate with Parkside Elementary School students and staff were Assistant Superintendent of Instruction and Learning Jason Sleep, school board chair Kim Dillivan and Nathan Tedjeske, the chief innovation officer at the Wyoming Department of Education and a former Cody principal.

The National Blue Ribbon Award has existed for 42 years and has honored 48 Wyoming schools, according to the National Blue Ribbon Schools website. Two of those awards have gone to Parkside Elementary School, the first in 2012, Hillman said.  Only 13 Wyoming schools have one more than one blue ribbon.

“I’m just happy to be in the same room with you, especially the teachers, and all the work that you guys put into your lessons, [into] taking care of these kids,” Sleep said. “I am so excited about you as a group, but I also want to celebrate the whole community.”

It takes many different groups of people to be successful, he said, listing teachers, parents, food service workers, bus drivers and parents.

What makes a school are the people in it, Dillivan said, adding “we are part of a community, we are all a community ... this blue ribbon school, the school would not be possible without the support of the community.”

Parents play a big part in student achievement, he said. Research supports the idea that students who have parents involved in the child’s education have better grades and attendance, and few discipline issues.

“Watching you guys grow up is the best thing for all of us,” Hillman said to the students. “I bet all of our staff feel that way. We love you guys very much, and you do a great job.”