Awards & Honors

Rainbow Is an Award-Winning School

Rainbow Voted Best of WNC!

2023 MTX Logo

Best of X 2023

Best Preschool (2nd)

Best School (3rd)

Best Music Teacher, Laura Blackley (2nd)

Community Playground (2nd)

Best Art Education Program (2nd)

After School Program (3rd)

best of x 2022

Best of X 2022

Best Preschool (1st) – Hall of Fame (4+ years in first place)

Best School (2nd)

Best Music Teacher – Laura Blackley (2nd)

Best Playground (2nd)

Best Art Education Program (2nd)

Best Day Camp (3rd)

best of X 2021

Best of X 2021

Best Preschool (1st)

Best School (1st)

Best Music Teacher – Sue Ford (1st)

Best Playground (1st)

Best After School (2nd)

Best Art Education Program (2nd)

Best Day Camp (2nd)

best of x 2020 purple image winner

Best of X 2020

Best Music Teacher – Sue Ford (1st)

Best Preschool (1st)

Best School (2nd)

Best Playground (2nd)

Best After School (3rd)

Best Art Education Program (3rd)

Best of X 2019

Best Music Teacher – Sue Ford (1st)

Best Preschool (1st)

Best School (2nd)

Best Playground (2nd)

Best After School (3rd)

Best Art Education Program (3rd)

Best of X 2018

Business that Represents the Spirit of Asheville (1st)

Best Music Teacher – Sue Ford (1st)

Business with earth-friendly practices (1st)

Best School (2nd)

Best Preschool (2nd)

Best Art Program (2nd)

Best Playground (2nd)

Business that Gives Back to the Community (3rd)

Best of X 2017

Best School (1st)

Best Music Teacher – Sue Ford (1st)

Best Elementary Teacher – Eddy Webb (1st)

Best Elementary Teacher – Susie Fahrer (2nd)

Best After School (1st)

Best Middle School Teacher – Susan Waddell (1st)

Best Preschool (1st)

Best Business with Earth-friendly Practices (1st)

Best Business that Give Back to the Community (2nd)

Best Art Program (1st)

Best Playground (1st)

Best Business that Represents the Spirit of Asheville (1st)

Best of X 2016

School (1st)
Business that Best represents the Spirit of Asheville (1st)
Music Teacher (1st)
Preschool (2nd)
Art Program (2nd)
After School (3rd)
Playground (3rd)

Best of X 2015

Best Science and Technology program (1st)
Preschool (1st)
Music Teacher (1st)
School (2nd)
Art Education (2nd)

Best of X 2014

Art Education (1st)
Program Preschool (1st)
Best Music Teacher, Sue Ford (1st)

Best of X 2013

Teacher, West Willmore (1st )
Music Teacher, Sue Ford (2nd )
Preschool (2nd )
School (3rd)
Art Program (3rd )

Certified Wildlife Habitat

Rainbow Community School is now a certified wildlife habitat site, recognized by the National Wildlife Federation.

RCS created a garden space that helped improve habitat needs for wildlife, including birds, butterflies, and frogs. Now, these animals will have an easier time finding food, shelter and water.

This is great because it is part of Rainbow’s mission to help students be responsible earth citizens. We have become a greener campus with this award by helping to create an inviting, eco-friendly place for wildlife.

With this award, we will have a subscription to National Wildlife Magazine that will help us to maintain our habitat year-round.

RCS also joins over 150,000 other certified habitat areas across the nation.

Thank you to our third grade teacher West Willmore for helping us achieve this award!

Living Wage Certified

Rainbow Community School was the first school and first preschool to become living wage certified in Asheville, leading the way for just social change.

Rainbow Named Ashoka Changemaker School

Rainbow is now part of the Ashoka Changemaker Network. We are one of 44 schools across the country to have this honor, because of our innovation and desire to exact social change.

We became an Ashoka Changemaker school because we are committed to addressing the needs of our community through developing empathy, teamwork, problem-solving and leadership skills in our students.

Rainbow Becomes Green School of Excellence

The Reading, Riding, Retrofit: The NC Green Schools Programs organization strives to recognize and encourage schools that practice sustainability.

They work to support school initiatives to become more “green” in their practices. For schools who want to participate, they list on their website various goals that schools can try to attain to help green their campuses.

Green Ribbon Schools

One of only 78 schools nationwide named by the US Department of Education White House council on Environmental Quality and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Rainbow Community School Preschool Holds Prestigious 5-Star Ranking

ECERS examines every aspect of a center’s program, staff, and environmental quality through an exhaustive look at the program’s strengths and weakness on 7 subscales: Space and Furnishings, Personal Care Routines, Language-Reasoning, Activities, Interactions, Program Structure, and Parents and Staff interactions. When a program meets the highest standards in each of these categories they may earn themselves the highest rating possible, the prestigious 5 Stars.  Click here for the full story. 

Rainbow receives Griffin Award

Each year, the Preservation Society of Asheville and Buncombe County presents the Griffin Awards to outstanding projects and individuals that further the goals of historic preservation in our community. Rainbow was honored with the Griffin Award in 1986 for preserving the historic Orr House.

Rainbow’s Executive Director, Renee Owen wins the Strive Not to Drive Leadership Award and Person of the Week

Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy presented the Strive Not to Drive Leadership Award to Rainbow’s Executive Director, Renee Owen for promoting environmentally friendly commuting in Asheville. As a result, she was also featured as the WLOS Person of the Week in 2010.