Elizabethtown Area School District recently announced that Elizabethtown Area High School (EAHS) has been awarded the prestigious Blue Ribbon School designation by the U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona.

The Blue Ribbon School Program is a nationally recognized award that honors public and private kindergarten through 12th-grade schools across the United States for their academic excellence and exceptional achievements. Each year, the U.S. Department of Education identifies and celebrates schools that demonstrate exemplary performance. Elizabethtown Area High School is one of three high schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to earn this distinction in 2023 and joins 353 other school districts from around the nation that earned this year's honor.

Now in its 40th year, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has presented the award to approximately 10,000 schools, including some that won multiple awards. Schools recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools are celebrated for their excellence and serve as models of effective school practices for others nationwide.

The U.S. Department of Education recognizes all honorees in one of two performance categories based on all student scores, student subgroup scores and graduation rates. The categories are Exemplary High-Performing Schools, which are among their state's highest-performing schools as measured by state assessments or nationally normed tests, and Exemplary Achievement Gap-Closing Schools, which are among their state's highest-performing schools in closing achievement gaps between a school's student subgroups and all students.

Elizabethtown Area High School's award was in the Exemplary High-Performing School category. The selection process for the Blue Ribbon Schools Program included a comprehensive review of academic data, evidence of instructional excellence and an extensive application process. The award recognized past achievements and signified a commitment to continued improvement and excellence in education.

The district's application centered around its ongoing commitment to its Life Ready Model and Culture of Belonging initiatives. The Life Ready Model aligns academic offerings with personalized and career-specific learning opportunities to help all students achieve their goals and aspirations. The school's Culture of Belonging effort pairs academic offerings with opportunities that support emotional readiness, social skills and teamwork to optimize students' school experience and help propel them to pursue their desired path after graduation.

The official Blue Ribbon School awards ceremony will take place in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. Department of Education will formally recognize Elizabethtown Area High School for the achievement.