Rome City Schools had plenty to celebrate Thursday night as three schools and two employees earned recognition among the community's best during the Rome News-Tribune's Best of Rome awards ceremony at Oak Hill.
West End Elementary School earned Best Public Elementary School and finished runner-up for Best Pre-K Program. Principal Lisa Strack credited the school's faculty and staff for the recognition.
"We are deeply grateful to everyone who voted for West End and expressed their confidence in our school," Strack said. "Serving more than 800 Pre-K through fifth-grade students each year is a profound honor. This achievement is a testament to our outstanding faculty and staff. Their dedication and the remarkable work they do in their classrooms every day are what make West End so special, and I am honored to serve alongside them."
West End also celebrated a win in the Best Local Podcast category for West End's The Music Room, which is produced by West End Music Teacher Dr. Sam Simon and highlights the school's music program.
"We are proud that West End's The Music Room was voted the best local podcast in Rome," Dr. Simon said. "Thank you for voting for us. We are committed to continuing to produce quality episodes that keep stakeholders informed about what is happening in the music room at West End."
Rome Middle School earned Best Public Middle School for the fifth consecutive year, continuing a streak that began in 2022.
"Earning Best of Rome for the fifth consecutive year isn't just an honor, it is powerful validation that our vision for Rome Middle School is working," Principal Christian Barnes said. "To maintain an unbroken winning streak since I arrived in 2022 speaks volumes about our culture of excellence. This award belongs to our brilliant students, our relentless staff, our dedicated leadership team, and a community that believes in what we are building inside and outside these walls."
Rome High School also earned recognition, finishing runner-up in the Best Public High School category.
Anna K. Davie Elementary School teacher Chelsee Robinson received the Best Teacher honor, recognizing her dedication to students and the relationships she builds in her classroom.
"Knowing that I was chosen by the people in my community makes this honor so incredibly special," Robinson said. "I don't teach for awards or recognition. I teach because I love my students. I love watching them grow, celebrating their little victories, encouraging them when things are hard, and seeing the confidence they gain when they realize, 'I can do it!' Those moments are what make teaching so meaningful to me."
Robinson expressed appreciation to everyone who supported her and said the recognition reflects what matters most about her profession.
"My students will always be the best part of my story," Robinson said.
Two attorneys who represent Rome City Schools also received recognition in the Best of Rome competition. Chris Twyman was named Best Corporate Attorney and finished runner-up for Best Bankruptcy Attorney. West Evans earned runner-up honors for Best Employment and Labor Attorney and placed third in the Best Corporate Attorney category.
The Best of Rome awards recognize businesses, organizations, schools, and individuals across numerous categories through community voting. Rome City Schools congratulates all of this year's winners and thanks the community for its continued support of the district's students, teachers, and staff.