CANAJOHARIE — All the classrooms at the Canajoharie High School are hooked up with cable television and the teachers all have laptop computers and personal digital assistants.

The rural school district is considered one of the most technologically advanced in the area.

School representatives on Friday said its reputation is in large part a result of the hard work and dedication of Principal Donald L. Bowden.

Bowden was honored Friday with a standing ovation from the entire high school student body as representatives from Time Warner Cable announced his being chosen as the 2008 National Champion Principal.

Bowden’s award comes with a $5,000 technology grant and a trip to Washington, where he will be honored at the company’s 19th annual National Teacher Awards on June 3.

Canajoharie Superintendent of Schools Richard Rose, who nominated Bowden for the award, told students in the assembly they only see part of what Bowden does for them.

“There’s so much that happens behind the scenes you don’t know about,” Rose said.

Rose said Bowden is considered the greatest ally of students who “jumps through every window of opportunity” on their behalf.

Bowden is responsible for setting up a wireless area network with funding from the National Science Foundation and hooking up a local area network for teachers to use copy machines throughout the school campus, among other accomplishments.

The cable wiring and TVs in classrooms were all acquired without using taxpayer money.

District communications specialist Cuyle Rockwell said the success is rooted in Bowden’s skill as a grant writer and in another characteristic of the long-time principal: “He’s a bulldog,” Rockwell said.

Canajoharie family and consumer science teacher Dolores Talmadge, a 35-year employee of the district, said Bowden’s work is evident throughout the school.

“Whenever I have problems with computers, he’s there. It makes our job easier,” Talmadge said.

Talmadge said to her recollection, there hasn’t been a grant Bowden’s requested that was denied.

Bowden, who was celebrating his 58th birthday on Friday, credited supportive teachers, the Board of Education, school administrators and students themselves for the success.

“I was lucky to win all these grants,” Bowden said.

He said he is also lucky to have a wife who waits for him at home while he spends most of his time at the school.

And he said he considers himself lucky that teachers in the district are willing to embrace new technology that takes learning on their part.

“I’m lucky to have students like you,” he told students assembled in the auditorium.

Bowden came to the Canajoharie school district in 1988 from the Hyde Park school district, where he served as a humanities program director.

“It’s a real honor,” Bowden said.

Though he credits his success to luck, it’s clear Bowden’s focus on technology is a big part of his dedication to students.

“I don’t have a computer in my home. For one thing, I’m never home,” Bowden said.

“You walk through a school and think, maybe it’s a little better than if you didn’t get this job. That’s better than just earning a paycheck,” Bowden said.