ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Only 10 schools in the state did it, and Central Baldwin Middle School was one of them.

That’s why students and faculty streamed into the school’s gymnasium Sept. 29 — to see Attorney General Troy King present the Alabama Safe School 2009 Award of Excellence to the school.

“It takes a village to make a school safe,” said CBMS principal Michael Vivar. “Schools don’t get made safe in Montgomery.”

Vivar explained that the school worked with experts, including representatives from he Robertsdale Police Department, to produce a thick binder of a plan that will be used, if needed, in case of emergency.

“We had to do do something different to make sure that Central Baldwin is a safe place,” Vivar said.

“We train for a day we hope will never come,” said King to the students. “It took a lot of work.”

King then presented the trophy to the faculty and administration of CBMS.

After the ceremony, King said that it was important, especially in light of tragedies that have occurred across the country, “to take steps to prepare and prevent school violence.”