"When a public school that was among the lowest-achieving for years is suddenly recognized by the federal government as one of the best in the country, that's cause to celebrate.

"When the school is located in a dilapidated four-story building in Hartford, where teaching often takes place under hallway stairwells, it's cause to celebrate even more….

"Welcome to Dwight Elementary School, one of only three schools in Connecticut to win the coveted No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon award for excellence. The other winners were Windham Center School and East Haven Academy.

"Dwight is only the second Hartford school ever to receive blue-ribbon recognition. Simpson-Waverly School in the city's North End earned blue-ribbon status in 2003….

"To be nominated, at least 40 percent of the students must qualify for free or reduced lunch and the school must have improved its standardized test scores.

"Dwight's scores on the Connecticut Mastery Test went from second from the bottom to tying for first place with Simpson-Waverly.

"Credit former Principal Kathleen Greider and dedicated staff for the turnaround. She refused to accept the conventional wisdom that there is a limit to how much children who speak another language at home and come from low-income families can learn - and teachers who didn't see it her way left.

"Dwight's designation is a strong affirmation that the children of Hartford will rise to meet high expectations."