A Pryor Middle School sixth grader was surprised in her classroom Thursday morning with balloons, plaques and a visit from Okaloosa County Schools Superintendent Marcus Chambers after posting reading gains her teacher called phenomenal.

• Zeyda Ramos, an English Language Learner student, jumped 44 points on her PM2 assessment, rising from a Level 1 to a Level 4 and coming just 12 points short of the top level, according to her teacher, Donna Born.

On the Measures of Academic Progress assessment, Ramos improved from a 202 RIT to a 228 RIT, exceeding her projected growth goal by 22 points. Her Lexile score climbed from 780, which was below grade level, to 1280, which is above grade level. She has only a handful of segments remaining in the Read 180 program, which is designed to support students who need extra academic assistance.

Ramos received both the Read 180 Award and the 2026 National Read 180 Award in recognition of her progress.

“Zeyda’s story is a powerful example of what determination can achieve,” Chambers said. “She has shown tremendous growth in academics, confidence, and leadership. We are incredibly proud of the example she sets for other students in our district.”

Chambers also presented Ramos with one of his personal coins, which he said is reserved for students who achieve in academics, the arts or athletics.

• “Putting in that hard work absolutely makes a difference,” Chambers told the class. “This is exactly what we hope for in students to continue to grow.”

Michelle Smith, representing HMH, the company behind the Read 180 program, presented Ramos with certificates, including one from HMH President Amy Duncan, along with a gift bag and donuts for the class. Smith said Ramos was teacher-nominated and selected from thousands of student entries nationwide.

“It wasn’t easy,” Smith said. “You had really awesome gains, and the story that was shared, you really earned it.”

Smith, a former Read 180 teacher herself, told Ramos the work will carry beyond any single test.

• “It takes commitment, it takes perseverance, dedication and just having that mindset of I might not be where I want to be, but I know I can get where I’m striving to be,” Smith said. “You have proven that mentality.”

Born, who is completing her 43rd and final year of teaching, said Ramos set the tone for her classroom through consistent work habits.

“Zeyda’s work ethic is phenomenal,” Born said. “She advocates for herself, stays focused, and takes pride in how far she has come. Watching her growth has been truly inspiring.”

Born has taught reading for most of her career with the Okaloosa County School District, including five years at Pryor Middle School and 28 years in middle school overall. She developed a reading program at Meigs Middle School under then-Principal Lamar White, who now serves on the Okaloosa County School Board. That work came before structured intervention programs like Read 180 became standard.

Ramos told Born that when she first moved to the United States, people spoke Spanish to her so often that she struggled to pick up English. Born said Ramos became fluent only in the past two years after being immersed in English at school.

Principal Jason McClelland said Ramos has emerged as a model for the school community.

• “Zeyda’s growth has been remarkable,” McClelland said. “Through determination and hard work, she has achieved academic success and emerged as a confident leader. We are incredibly proud of the example she sets for our school community.”

Born closed by telling her class that Ramos’ story should be a model for every student in the room.

“To overcome that language barrier and improve your comprehension, think about where you would be,” Born said. “You’re all perfectly capable.”