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EDWARDSBURG — Thursday, Edwardsburg Intermediate School students went home with a new way to show off their school pride and stay hydrated at the same, thanks to a donation from a southwest Michigan business.

Thursday, Honor Credit Union donated 450 customized water bottles to Edwardsburg Intermediate School to celebrate its achievement of being named a 2020 National Blue Ribbon School, a high-academic performance recognition announced earlier this fall. The Intermediate School is one of 367 schools in the nation and 15 schools from Michigan to be recognized in 2020.

“Since the beginning, Honor Credit Union has had its roots in education, and supporting our educators has been and remains a commitment of the credit union,” said Janie Reifenberg, community vice president of Honor Credit Union. “Our team is always ready to step up any way we can, and in these unprecedented times, our teachers and students need us more than ever.”

Reifenberg said she reached out to the school immediately after learning of its Blue Ribbon recognition. She and Principal Dan Nommay came up with the idea for the water bottle donation as a way to reward students while keeping in mind COVID-19 regulations.

“When I saw the news, I knew we needed to do something,” Reifenberg said. “It’s been a rough year for teachers, even rougher for students. We wanted to help.”

“It’s important that we help our kids and our teachers,” added Jeanne Meyer, Niles branch manager. “They are the future.”

Principal Nommay said he was grateful to Honor Credit Union for the donation.

“When Janie contacted me, I was delighted to know that she, her bank and her company were recognizing the Intermediate School,” he said. “It’s an honor that Honor recognizes us.”

While the donation from Honor and the plaque the school received for its Blue Ribbon award may be for the year 2020, Nommay said the achievement was years in the making — made possible by hardworking staff and students.

“[The Blue Ribbon] is an amazing reflection of how strong the staff is and how much they put into it,” he said. “This is many, many years of working diligently to make sure students are growing academically and socially.”

As Reifenberg and Meyer handed over several bags full of water bottles to Nommay Thursday afternoon, Reifenberg again extended her congratulations to the school.

“It is a tremendous honor for the Edwardsburg community to receive this recognition and be one of 15 schools in Michigan to be named a Blue Ribbon School,” she said. “On behalf of Honor Credit Union and myself, we extend our congratulations on the hard work that your staff and students have put in each day. Way to go, Eddies.”