Celebrating big wins (WITH GALLERY)

Published 12:00 am Monday, October 23, 2023

Grant Ellis, of Chesapeake Elementary School, Tage Snodgrass, of Ironton Elementary School, and Chase Hamilton of Dawson-Bryant Elementary School, were honored by Heroic Game Day for their high scores in the game. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

Ironton Elementary honored for report card, game performances

An assembly on Wednesday at Ironton Elementary School celebrated two huge wins for students.

First, the school received a five-star overall rating on the Ohio School Report Card.

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The achievement was the first in the school’s history and the highest score possible.

Second, the school, was announced the winner of the 2022/23 Heroic Game Day Statewide Skills Competition. Students from 40 schools across Ohio competed against one another in the online education and life skills multiplayer gaming competition.

At the assembly, which was for the school’s third through fifth grades, officials from Heroic Game Day were on hand to present the school with the winning banner.

Thomas Reed is commissioner for the state league for Heroic Game Day.

He said Heroic Game Day is an on-line game-based learning platform aimed at helping students learn 20 critical life skills including leadership, digital and financial literacy, citizenship, health and wellness, resilience, and habit and goal setting. 

Students applaud during an assembly by Heroes Game Day at Ironton Elementary School on Wednesday. (The Ironton Tribune | Heath Harrison)

Reed said the platform is in addition to classroom learning and is present in five of the county’s school districts — Ironton, South Point, Symmes Valley, Dawson-Bryant and Chesapeake.

“They’ve had a winning year and we are here to recognize that achievement,” Thomas said of Ironton, telling students “you knocked it out of the park on state report cards.”

Also taking part in the assembly was Michael Dow, creator of Heroic Game Day, who noted the business leaders present at the event.

“These companies will want to hire you because of the skills you are learning,” he said.

Of schools taking part in Heroic Game Day, the report card data showed Ironton posted the highest Composite Growth Index on the 2022-23 Report Card with a +9.35, placing it in the 99th percentile among all elementary schools statewide. 

“Ironton Elementary School is dedicated to innovative learning, with growth-in-technology based educational opportunities,” principal Cory McKnight said in a news release. “Heroic Game Day has made a significant impact on the education outcomes of our students. The more students play the game the better their test scores, social and emotional wellness and overall capacity to learn.”

Heroic Game Day is an on-line game-based learning platform that helps elementary students learn 20 critical life skills including leadership, digital and financial literacy, citizenship, health and wellness, resilience, and habit and goal setting. 

In addition to the school being honored for their placement in the competition, three county students — Chase Hamilton, of Dawson-Bryant, Grant Ellis, of Chesapeake, and Tage Snodgrass, of Ironton — were honored for their individual high scores and presented with Chromebooks and bags.

Dow also announced the establishment of the Ohio Heroic Game Day Tech Hub, which will be centered in Appalachia.  He said the hub works with the government and private sector to create the workforce ecosystem that, not only take care of the tech industries, but also the industries that support and work alongside these industries.