Five elementary schools from Oconee County have been chosen as recipients of the John Hancock Award by the Georgia Department of Education for excellence in cursive writing and instruction.

Colham Ferry, Dove Creek, High Shoals, and Malcom Bridge elementary schools earned the John Hancock Ribbon of Distinction, and Rocky Branch received the John Hancock Proficiency Ribbon.

As part of Georgia’s English Language Arts (ELA) standards, cursive writing plays a vital role in preparing students for academic success and lifelong learning, according to a press release from the Georgia Department of Education.

Schools are recognized based on the cursive proficiency of their students. The schools where 90 percent of students can write their name in cursive receive the John Hancock Banner and Proficiency Ribbon. Schools where 90 percent of students can write both their name and the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution in cursive are awarded the John Hancock Banner and Ribbon of Distinction.