WASHINGTON, D.C. — Two administrators with the Slippery Rock School District got a unique opportunity this week to meet and talk with elite educators from around the country.

Kristie Shulsky and Jake Jefferis, the former principal and assistant principal of the high school, traveled to Washington for a two-day education conference recognizing the 335 National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2015.

They attended to receive the Blue Ribbon Award for the high school. It recognizes schools that show high learning standards or have made notable improvements in closing the achievement gap over five years.

The high school was chosen for its improvement in test scores.

The award is given by the U.S. Department of Education.

Shulsky, who is now the Moraine Elementary School principal, and Jefferis, who is now the middle school principal, went to Washington to receive the award because they were the administrators during the time the high school was evaluated.

They were recognized at a luncheon Tuesday.

In addition to receiving a plaque that will hang in the high school, they received a flag and a banner, which will be hung on the building.

To receive the award and to attend the conference was a once in a lifetime opportunity, Shulsky said.

“The whole conference was amazing. To be in the room with the number of educators and principals and supervisors who were all receiving this exemplary status, words can’t describe it,” she said.

The conference consisted of speakers and break-out sessions where educators shared ideas about educating young people.

A keynote speaker was Sheila Harrity, a former principal of Worcester Technical High School in Worcester, Mass.

The school used to be one of the worst performing schools in that area, but under Harrity’s guidance it became one of the best, an improvement that is in some ways similar to the improvement for which Slippery Rock was recognized.

“I related a lot of what she (Harrity) was saying. Some of the ideas she had moving forward and things I think I could do in my current position,” Shulsky said.

Sharing ideas with other educators and seeing the successes of others is validating her work, Shulsky said.

“Talking with other administrators and sharing best practices, I left there thinking that I made a difference, we made a difference in the lives of students,” she said.

Jefferis said it was an honor to be recognized and attend the conference, but it also reminds him that the district always can strive to improve.

“After being in that room and seeing administrators from all of the other schools, I couldn’t help but think of the multitude of schools that did not make it,” he said in an e-mail.

“That made me realize that although we did something great in Slippery Rock we can never stop pushing for academic progress for our kids in Slippery Rock and for all of our kids around the country.”

Slippery Rock High School is one of 17 schools in Pennsylvania to be selected this year as National Blue Ribbon Schools.

Others from Western Pennsylvania are Albert F. Baker Elementary School in Pittsburgh; First Street Elementary School in Canonsburg; North East High School in North East; and McCormick Elementary School in Moon Township, Allegheny County.

Shulsky said she hopes that the prestige the award brings will be recognized and that it might help some students get into colleges.