Columbiana Exempted School District had a lot to be excited about Friday morning as they hosted an assembly celebrating their latest achievement. 

The U.S. News and World Report magazine just put a cherry on the top of the Columbiana Southside Middle School’s achievements, naming it recently as one of the top middle schools in the state of Ohio. 

The district had already been recognized at the elementary and middle school levels for having National Blue Ribbon schools, an honor bestowed on them by the U.S. Department of Education.

The middle school also has been ranked as the No. 1 Best Public Middle School in Columbiana County by major educational review platforms, explained District Superintendent Dr. Donald Mook said. 

Students in the fifth-grade section of the Columbiana gymnasium stands do the arm movements as the Village People’s YMCA plays before Friday’s assembly. Among those pictured in no particular order, clockwise from front right, are Kaylee Pizzedaz, Delanie Gordon, May Oraze and Scarlett Nanosky. The assembly celebrated Columbiana Middle School’s latest achievement as being named among U.S. News and State Report magazine’s top middle schools in the state of Ohio. In addition to staff and students from the middle school attending, the event also included plenty of local, state and federal dignitaries. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

“The school demonstrates exceptional proficiency rates that significantly outperform state averages,” he said, adding that 80 percent of CMS students either meet or exceed math proficient scores as well as 79 percent do the same in reading. The school is consistently recognized as one of the best 100 schools out of nearly 1,000 Ohio middle schools. 

Mook cited that as one of the reasons that the magazine named Columbiana as 58th out of 975 middle schools, which would place the Clippers in the top 2 percent within the state of Ohio. 

In addition to middle school students, fourth-grade students from Joshua Dixon Elementary School, who were scheduled to visit Friday, also were invited to join the festivities in the high school gymnasium.

There was singing and dancing in the stands to tunes like YMCA and Cotton Eye Joe until students took to the gym floor for some line dancing favorites. 

Columbiana Middle School principal Dr. Jason Martin recognized that the spirit was typical of the “culture of excitement in Columbiana.”

From right, Columbiana robotics coaches Ashlee Sherwood and Justin Conrad share information about their highly successful program within the district’s elementary and middle schools Friday morning during the district’s celebratory assembly, as middle school principal Dr. Jason Martin looks on. The robotics’ program, which had four teams advance to the state tournament with one successfully continuing to the worlds. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

Citing the Columbiana school district’s strong community and culture, Mook also explained, “Students don’t just attend school, but they represent a community that expects the best from them. There is a sense of pride in wearing the red and white.”

Speaking about red and white, Dr. Jenn Adams, provost for Youngstown State University, was on hand to discuss the expectation of a Columbiana alumni who attends her academic institution.

Presenting proclamations in addition to Adams were U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli; State Rep. Monica Robb Blasdel and Monique Moore, who represented Gov. Mike DeWine’s office. 

Also in attendance was Columbiana Mayor Rick Noel and top city administrative officials. 

During a special achievement spotlight section, Ashlee Sherwood, who oversees the district’s robotics team, spoke about that program’s growth and success, as one of its own, the Almighty Cheeto Puffs team, recently returned from the world VEX IQ championship the second time, after advancing from the state championship. 

Members of Columbiana’s world qualifying robotics team the Almighty Cheeto Puffs, pictured in no particular order, Colton Burns, James Conrad, Parker Clark and Sammy Harberson. The team’s was recognized Friday during an assembly, celebrating Columbiana Middle School accomplishments and spotlighting the district’s highly successful robotics program. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

Mook said that this championship Clipper attitude follows students throughout their career, whether it is on the athletic field, an extracurricular activity like robotics or even achievement in the classroom. 

The event concluded with a luncheon for dignitaries in the high school media center, while students enjoyed their celebratory Dilly Bar in the parking lot from a Dairy Queen truck. 

This CardMyYard sign greeted individuals attending Friday morning’s celebratory assembly for Columbiana Middle School outside the high school, where grades 4 through 8 gathered in the gymnasium for the festivities with various city, state and federal officials. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

From left, Columbiana fifth-grade students Grady Aikens, Bradyn Aikens, Wyatt Scheks and Aiden Barker sway to the sounds of Columbiana’s school alma mater during the conclusion of Friday morning’s assembly celebrating the school’s latest accomplishment. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)

Wyatt Scheks and Aiden Barker, fifth-grade students at Columbiana Middle School, did up the school spirit for Friday morning assembly with painted faces in the school colors. The district was celebrating the latest accomplishment for its middle school, which was attended by various city, state and federal officials as well as students from grades 4-8. (Photo by Stephanie Ujhelyi)