SACRAMENTO – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell joined California Lottery Director Joan Borucki today at the McAfee Coliseum to honor local elementary schools that have been selected as the 2008 California Distinguished Schools. School representatives were in attendance at the Oakland A’s game while their respective schools were honored during a pre-game ceremony.
“The California Lottery is proud to be a longtime sponsor of the Distinguished School Awards program,” said Director Borucki. “Today we are pleased to host representatives from Bay Area schools for their extraordinary efforts in advancing educational opportunities for area children.”
Superintendent O’Connell addressed the importance of educating our next generation of leaders. “These elementary schools have shown that they are able to meet the challenge of providing their students the rigorous education that is essential to their future success in the classroom and the workplace.”
The California School Recognition Program is now in its 23rd year and identifies and honors the state's most exemplary and inspiring public schools with the California Distinguished School Award.
Representatives from the following area elementary schools were on hand to accept the honors:
Ulloa Elementary School, San Francisco
Amelia Earhart Elementary, Alameda
Warm Springs Elementary School, Fremont
Think College Now, Oakland
Lydiksen Elementary School, Pleasanton
Hillcrest K-8 School, Oakland
Palomares Elementary School, Castro Valley
Stanton Elementary, Castro Valley
Murray Elementary, San Ramon
Fairlands Elementary, Pleasanton
Jensen Ranch Elementary, Castro Valley
The complete statewide list of the more than 300 exemplary California public elementary schools that have been selected as 2008 California Distinguished Schools may be accessed online at the California Department of Education’s Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/sr/cs/index.asp.
More than 95 cents of every Lottery dollar is returned to the community in the form of contributions to education, prizes and retail commissions. The California Lottery contributes at least 34 cents of every dollar that players spend on Lottery products to public education and returns more than 50 percent of sales to players in the form of prizes. Since its inception in 1985, the Lottery has contributed more than $20 billion to California schools out of total sales of nearly $55 billion. Retailers benefit too, earning $3.5 billion in compensation since 1985.