Blue Ribbon flies high at St. Louis School in Clarksville

CLARKSVILLE – Students and faculty at St. Louis School in Clarksville burst into the school gym in waves Nov. 5, wearing blue spirit T-shirts, sunglasses and wielding pom-poms to celebrate the Howard County Catholic school’s designation as one of Maryland’s Blue Ribbon schools.

Deborah Thomas, principal of St. Louis School, waves to her students as Howard County Executive Calvin Ball announces Nov. 5 as St. Louis School Day in Howard County in recognition of being named a 2025 Maryland State Blue Ribbon School Award honoree. St. Louis is the only school, public or private, to receive the designation in Howard County for the current school year. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff). (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

The prestigious honor recognizes top-performing public and private schools in Maryland. The state program, which had ended in the 2019-20 school year, was reinstated this academic year after the Trump administration discontinued the U.S. Department of Education’s long-running National Blue Ribbon Schools Program. St. Louis School was anticipated to have been awarded the national honor prior to the national program’s discontinuation.

Debora Thomas, St. Louis’ principal, celebrated the school’s designation as a Maryland Blue Ribbon school before a drumroll from the school band signaled the dramatic reveal of a balloon arch in school colors and the new Maryland State Blue Ribbon banner.

The school noted that of the seven schools recognized, only two were Catholic (the other was the Archdiocese of Washington’s Little Flower School in Bethesda). St. Louis became the first three-time Blue Ribbon elementary school in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, having previously been twice named a national Blue Ribbon School (2010-11 and 2016-17).

Thomas, who has led St. Louis School for six years and has 19 years experience in school administration, said the Blue Ribbon designation reflects the unwavering dedication of school leaders, faculty, students and parents who commit to education.

“We have unbelievable staff who are dedicated to our children,” Thomas said prior to the start of the assembly. “Their focus on our mission of excellence never wavers. It’s all about celebrating excellence in Catholic Schools.”

Wearing blue shirts and sunglasses, the eighth-grade class at St. Louis School in Clarksville spell out the number of times (three) their school has received a department of education blue ribbon school designation over the past 15 years. It’s a designation that can only be applied for every five years. (Courtesy St. Louis School)

She emphasized that the mission of St. Louis School is to support the growth of individual students, whether they are high achievers or those who need additional strategies to help them comprehend and retain information.

“It’s really the focus of helping each child achieve their greatest personal potential,” she said. “We never lose focus on our purpose.”

School Sister of Notre Dame Patricia McCarron, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Archdiocese of Baltimore, congratulated the St. Louis community for its achievement.

“Today brings together all that makes our Catholic schools so wonderful,” she said, noting that the celebration honors all in the community, both past and present, who have used their God-given gifts to serve one another, to be Christ’s love to one another and to achieve their best.

“It’s a celebration of God’s great blessings upon all of us and using them to our full potential,” Sister Patricia said. “It doesn’t get any better than that.”

The superintendent asked students to recognize their teachers and administrators, eliciting deafening screams and cheers from the crowd.

Braxton Reese, an eighth grader at St. Louis School, leads classmates in a cheer prior to the Maryland State School Blue Ribbon Award assembly Nov. 5 in Clarksville. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball declared Nov. 5 St. Louis School Day in Howard County, drawing even louder cheers from students and faculty alike.

“I know the importance of and power of education … the importance of the power of faith … and the importance of the power of investing in our future,” Ball said. “Today represents all three and much more.”

Adam Rosenburg, an eighth grader at St. Louis School, expressed his excitement about being part of the graduating class that received the Blue Ribbon award this year. He quickly ran outside with his classmates to capture a drone photo in the shape of the number three, acknowledging the three Department of Education Blue Ribbon awards.

Patrick Deegan, a sixth and seventh grade teacher at St. Louis School for seven years, captured the moment perfectly when he said, “It’s pretty rare to get this (blue ribbon) once. … To get it three times in 15 years is fantastic. We’re doing a really good job on education and faith formation. This is confirmation of that.”

Sandy Osborne, music teacher at St. Louis School, wrote a special song for the occasion which her choir students performed to close the assembly. Osborne turned to the assembly, asking them to join the final verse which included celebratory hand gestures.

Michelle O’Neill, kindergarten teacher at St. Louis School in Clarksville, makes the heart sign with her hands along with students to show their love for their community during the 2025 Maryland Blue Ribbon School Award assembly. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Students were then dismissed back to their classrooms where celebrations continued with cupcakes.

“I’m bursting with pride and so excited at this tremendous accomplishment by St. Louis School,” Sister Patricia said. “Our Catholic schools are doing tremendous things, and it energizes me and our community to keep the mission of Catholic education, academic excellence and faith formation alive.”

The school’s Blue Ribbon festivities began Nov. 4 when four staff members attended a special state presentation in Baltimore, where Maryland State Department of Education Superintendent of Schools Dr. Carey M. Wright formally recognized St. Louis.

Additional celebrations will include a staff breakfast Nov. 14 and a parent reception Nov. 15 with the theme “We’re on a Roll!”

Email Kevin Parks at kparks@CatholicReview.org

To view more photos from this event, click through the slideshow below: