This week, it was announced that I have won the 2014 McGraw Prize in Education. It’s an incredible honor, and I am beyond humbled and honored to win an award that heroes of mine — Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, Dr. James Comer, Larry Rosenstock, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, just to name a few —  have won. To see my name listed with theirs is incredible.

And it’s important to note that this is not an award one wins alone. The work we do at SLA is always about the incredible community of people who come together to breathe life into our school every day. The educators, students and families of Science Leadership Academy and Science Leadership Academy @ Beeber make our schools work every day. Our partners at The Franklin Institute have been there to plan with us, work with us, learn with us from the beginning. And while the district has been through many changes in the past nine years, the people of the School District of Philadelphia have been supportive of SLA, creating the conditions through which we could innovate. And, of course, on a personal level, I am incredibly lucky to be married to someone as smart (and as patient) as Kat.

I am incredibly lucky to be the principal of Science Leadership Academy. The past nine years have afforded me the opportunity to work with some of the most incredible people I have ever known. A moment of recognition like this is a wonderful moment to step back and celebrate with all the people who own a piece of this award. It has been amazing to receive emails and tweets and Facebook posts from former students, current families, and colleagues from so many parts of the journey.

I want to simply thank everyone who has helped to make SLA a school that matters. This is a moment of celebration for all of us. Thank you for everything you do.