Schools in Southampton County and southern Isle of Wight County drew some high praise from the state last month for their progress in meeting federal and state benchmarks on Standards of Learning testing.

Capron and Meherrin elementary schools in Southampton County and Carrsville and Windsor elementary schools in southern Isle of Wight County earned the Board of Education Excellence Award. Nottoway Elementary, Southampton High School and Windsor High School won the lower-tier – but still significant – Board of Education Competence to Excellence Award.

To qualify for either award, a school had to meet all state and federal benchmarks for two consecutive years. That’s an impressive feat, and we commend these schools and their students, teachers and principals for the accomplishment.

Much work remains to be done — and progress achieved — by public schools in Western Tidewater. It must be noted that no Franklin school was honored by the state. Franklin, Southampton and Isle of Wight did not receive division-wide honors, as did 34 other school divisions in Virginia.

Educational excellence must start somewhere, however, and the progress of individual schools in Southampton and Isle of Wight counties is worth celebrating.