COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine spent Monday celebrating schools that have earned the Governor’s Science of Reading Champions award.

The award highlights local schools that do phenomenal work within their curricula such as the science of reading and literacy achievement.

DeWine was given a breakdown from administrators and teachers about how Hamilton Elementary School has been implementing programs that make students more engaged with high-quality content at an early age.

Second and third graders are learning topics such as the Civil War and Greek mythology and teachers said it has improved students’ excitement and interest but also enhanced their reading and vocabulary skills. The governor noted he was impressed by what he saw and explained why this initiative is so important.

“They’ve talked about different aspects of American history so that student is able to relate and get interested in it, as well as just sounding words out,” DeWine said. “So, this is a really, I think, a good model for many schools around the state.”

To close out the celebration, the governor unveiled a banner with the student. DeWine went on to congratulate the students and teachers on their accomplishments with their work over the years.

“The continuity that the school has been doing, and the school’s been doing for some time over ten years, over a decade,” DeWine said. “And that’s really focused on the science of reading. But also, they’re dealing with something that we talked about in the state of state, and that is having content. And they really take it a step further.”

DeWine also traveled to Wheelersburg Elementary School in Scioto County on Monday to honor that school’s accomplishments as well.