CHESAPEAKE — Lucas Whitehair knew what the word “excellence” meant.

“You get good grades,” he said.

And Jackson Stephens knew as well.

“It means, like, great,” he said.

Both Chesapeake Elementary students were answering a question posed by State Rep. John Carey who came to their school to praise them for continuing to be a school of excellence as designated by the Ohio Department of Education.

Carey presented the students with a proclamation honoring the school for its accomplishment and talked to the youngsters about the importance of success at their studies.

“There are very few schools in my district who have received an excellence award,” he told the assembly. “This is what happens when you work hard with your teachers and your parents. But it’s up to you. That is what makes this award very special. You all worked hard.”

While this wasn’t the first time for the elementary school to gain the excellence rating, it was the first time in the high school’s history to pull in the same honor.

Carey also presented a proclamation to the high school at another assembly.

“In Columbus we talk about how we give money to schools,” Carey said. “People make assumptions about us in this part of the state about our chances to be successful. For you, this shows you are working hard and being a good student and getting the skills to get a job. For me, it shows that putting money in your school brings results.”