Riverdale High School receives big $25,000 College Board Award
From left, Principal Jeff Percell, Cody Bratton and Suzy Gutierrez.
Some at Riverdale High School, which is located about 28 miles southwest of Fresno, think they are just too far out in the rural district to become a nationally-recognized school.
Well that really has nothing to do with it.
The Cowboys won the 2009 College Board Inspiration Award, which was, yes, accompanied with the national honor and with a check for $25,000 for their academic achievement. Riverdale High School Jeff Percell and the entire faculty and staff along with several proud parents gladly accepted the check during a special assembly today.
California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jack O' Connell.
Riverdale is one of three schools and, the only California school, to receive the prestigious award.
“We wouldn’t have the same opportunities,” said junior Suzy Gutiérrez, an AVID student. Gutiérrez is just one of many students that have benefited from a good educational plan presented by the faculty at Riverdale, whose enrollment is about 540.
The College Board serves about 5,600 schools and colleges, according to their press release. Founded in 1900, the non-profit organization presents awards – and a check – to three schools annually that have produced the academic environment for its students.
The other two schools for this year are Hidalgo Early College High School in Hidalgo, Texas and William B. Murrah High School in Mississippi.
