Students at Lincoln Elementary School in River Forest gathered in the school’s gymnasium last week and waited for a countdown.
They were joined by teachers and staff who wore blue as the school was named a 2026 Governor’s Blue Ribbon School for its exemplary academic performance, and cheered when they learned about their state-wide achievement during the surprise assembly. The acknowledgement marks the second for Lincoln as it was first awarded the recognition in 2015 by the U.S. Department of Education.
Marta Kozbur, an art teacher, has taught at Lincoln for 30 years and was involved in the school’s first award.
“I feel grateful for being a part of this process for the second time,” she said. “It is a gift to work in this district for the past 30 years. Everyone feels a part of the community here. Staff is beyond description, a pleasure to work with every day and the biggest gift is the kids. We do well because we all put the kids first.”
The Blue Ribbon Schools program was established in 1982 by the U.S. Department of Education. The state stepped up to establish the program last year after the Trump administration canceled it and the program now celebrates schools that show educational excellence through high academic achievement or significant progress in closing achievement gaps.
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For Lincoln’s principal, Casey Godfrey, getting the recognition is more than just recognizing test scores.
“It’s the natural outcome of a school culture where every single child feels seen, valued and genuinely supported. Our entire team is committed to helping every child feel welcome,” Godfrey said.
Like Kozbur, Godfrey credits the achievement to putting the students first.
“We prioritize the who before the what, knowing that a child who feels safe and significant within their school relationships is ready to persist through any academic challenge,” Godfrey said. “When students know they belong, there is no limit to what they can achieve.”
Lincoln was one of just 16 public schools that received the recognition this year out of over 4,300 public schools in Illinois, and eight nonpublic schools were also named.
The River Forest Board of Trustees acknowledged the school’s accomplishment at its Village Board meeting on Monday.
The River Forest community will also celebrate the achievement on Thursday with a Blue Ribbon Rally in partnership with the Lincoln parent teacher organization at 5 p.m. at the school.
There will be blue cookies, along with hot chocolate, music and statements from principal Casey Godfrey, superintendent Janice Pavelonis and local elected officials.
“Lincoln was invited to apply for the award because of our outstanding academic outcomes demonstrated over time,” Pavelonis said. “We are thankful to our staff for their passion and skill, to principal Casey Godfrey for his leadership over the past 11 years, and to our families for their partnership. We are very proud of our students, whose curiosity and hard work earned this amazing honor.”