Celina West Elementary kindergarten student Luke Highley, center, raises his arms in celebration of the school being acknowledged as a 2009 State Superintendent's School of Promise. First grader Dalton Leiss and second grader Sophie Morris hold the banner. Only 135 schools -K-12 - were designated as Schools of Promise and West Elementary was the only school in Mercer County to receive the award. The Ohio Department of Education started in the program in 2001 to identify, recognize and highlight schools that are making substantial progress in ensuring high achievement for all students.