The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

ELDON, IA --
Cardinal Elementary School has been presented with the President’s Award for Exceptional Performance from Scholastic.

Cardinal is the first elementary to ever win on their first entry in Scholastic history.

“Our winning was based off of principal, student, and faculty involvement so we’re pleased that we won off of the people who contributed not just how well we decorated our building. It was about the people who made it possible,” says Cardinal Elementary School Principal Cindy Shepherd.

Cardinal Elementary had a kick-off assembly to get students excited for the Scholastic Book Fair. Principal Shepherd gave the kids an extra incentive; if they earned $2,500, then the students could dress her up however they wanted.

The students surpassed that goal and raised around $4,500.

“Students even wrapped me up in Christmas lights. We plugged in the lights and I was all lit up,” says Shepherd about her holding true to her promise to the students.

100 elementary schools entered the Scholastic competition. Although they didn’t win the grand prize, Shepherd is very proud of all her students.

Shepherd plans to use the $500 prize money to buy new books for the school.