Nine Richmond County School System schools received the Georgia Department of Education’s John Hancock Award for their commitment to cursive writing instruction.
Deer Chase, Goshen, Hephzibah, Jamestown, Lake Forest Hills, McBean and Richmond Hill Elementary Schools and Freedom Park K-8 received the John Hancock Banner and Ribbon of Distinction, and W.S. Hornsby Middle School earned the John Hancock Banner and Proficiency Ribbon, according to a news release from Richmond County School system.
“Cursive instruction strengthens literacy, builds writing fluency, and connects our students to the historic documents that shaped our nation,” said Chief Academic Officer Kinesha Ponder. “We are incredibly proud of our students, teachers, and school leaders for the work they’ve done in the classroom to earn this recognition.”
As part of Georgia’s Constitution Week observance, 630 schools earned John Hancock Award recognition during the 2025–26 school year. Proficiency Ribbon recipients demonstrated that at least 90% of students could write their names in cursive, while Ribbon of Distinction honorees achieved the same benchmark for writing both their names and the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution. The recognition is especially timely as schools prepare to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary and help students develop the skills to read historic documents in their original form.
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