(WSIL) -- A small school in Johnson County is receiving big honors.
New Simpson Hill School District in Ozark received the National Blue Ribbon award for the last set of tests they completed before the pandemic began.
They were nominated by the Illinois State Board of Education last spring and were just one of around 350 schools to be honored.
School officials say the award is the result of hard work from both teachers and students. They say it's extra special to be able to accomplish this as such a small school.
"It's very special being a small school. A lot of the resources that aren't available to small schools, we're able to work around that and provide our students with what we feel is one of the best educations," says Superintendent Joe Nighswander.
While the school will receive a plaque and flag to display their accomplishment, they say the primary reward is the recognition of their efforts, in and out of the classroom.
