Herricks High School Named National Blue Ribbon School

Five Long Island high schools, including Herricks, were among the 342 nationwide to be named National Blue Ribbon Schools on Thursday.

The local schools to make the list are:

• Herricks High School
• Bayport-Blue Point High School
• Garden City High School
• Earl L. Vandermeulen High School
• Massapequa High School

The five high schools were among 13 public schools in New York to receive the honor.

"National Blue Ribbon Schools are active demonstrations of preparing every child for a bright future," U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos said in a press release. "You are visionaries, innovators and leaders. You have much to teach us: some of you personalize student learning, others engage parents and communities in the work and life of your local schools and still others develop strong and forward-thinking leaders from among your teaching staff."

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools where students achieve very high learning standards or are making notable improvements in closing the achievement gap.

Now in its 35th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed recognition on more than 8,500 schools.

On Nov. 6 and 7, DeVos and the Department of Education will celebrate with these honorees at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Up to 420 schools may be nominated each year. The Department invites National Blue Ribbon School nominations from the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education.

Last year, two Long Island schools – Harborfields High School in Greenlawn and Syosset High School in Syosset– earned the Blue Ribbon distinction.

Patch file photo, Story by Priscila Korb