The Renton School District was awarded the Service Member Patriot Award June 24 for its exceptional support of district staff member and military reservist Eric Riddle, who has been called up to active duty in the military.

Tom Howley, from the district’s Technology Services Department, where Riddle works as a network engineer, accepted the award. The Service Patriot Award recognizes organizations that support military reservists and their families as they are called to active duty.

Riddle is a captain in the Army Reserves and will be deployed to the Middle East for about a year. During his deployment, Technology Services Department team members will take on all of Riddle’s duties and responsibilities and the district will hold his job for him until he returns, a district release stated.

-from a press release