BLOOMINGTON - Fox Creek Elementary students gave their school a standing ovation when they learned Fox Creek was named the first Blue Ribbon school in McLean County.

"There are 90,000 schools in the nation. This is a really big deal," said Chad Colby of the U.S. Department of Education.

Colby, Unit 5 administrators, school board members, parents and other guests congratulated Principal Mark Robinson, staff and students on the award. The designation of No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School rewards their dramatic improvements in achievement.

At an all-school assembly Friday, Colby, of Washington, D.C., told students he was excited to be back in Bloomington where he attended school and grew up.

Colby planned to visit two of his grade school teachers at Stevenson Elementary School, where he attended 30 years ago. They are both still teaching there, said Colby, who also attended Bloomington Junior High School in District 87.

"It's a great place to grow up," said Colby, a deputy assistant secretary for media affairs. He said Fox Creek is one of 237 schools of 90,000 in the United States to win the award.

Fox Creek Elementary School has 371 students in a diverse population. About 50 percent of students receive free and reduced-price lunches.

"It proves all students can learn, no matter their skin color or economic level," he said.

It is what the No Child Left Behind program is all about, he said.

"This has been a week of surprises," Robinson said. On Tuesday, kindergarten teacher Sally Cummins won $1,400 in school supplies from Office Max.

And on Thursday, the school's Camp Read-A-Lot event was a bigger success than expected, Robinson said, with more than 250 children and parents attending. The school was still dressed up with camping displays on Friday.

"We've come so far in seven years," said Robinson, who has been principal at Fox Creek, 3910 Fox Creek Road, since it opened seven years ago. He's been with the district for 29 years.

He attributes its success to "high achievement, high expectations and relationships" fostered by parents, staff and students.

Special education teacher Karrie Reustman, who also has been at the school since it opened, agreed that it was an exciting week. "He came out with blue ribbons," she said, describing how Robinson shared news of the award with his teachers.