This Suburban H.S. Is Among 6 Nationwide To Receive Blue Ribbon Nod 5 Times

MUNDELEIN, IL — Carmel Catholic High School has been selected as a National Blue Ribbon School for the fifth time in the school's history.

Only six other schools across the nation, including Carmel, have received the "coveted award" five times, school officials announced Tuesday. Other suburban schools picked as 2021 Blue Ribbon School winners include: Braeside Elementary School in Highland Park, Maple School in Northbrook, Walter Sundling Junior High School in Palatine, Prince of Peace High School in Lake Villa, Lake Forest High School in Lake Forest and Lincoln Middle School in Park Ridge.

We are proud to be a 2021 National Blue Ribbon School! For the fifth time in school history, our school has been honored with this coveted award. We are one of only a few high schools to have received this award five times! https://t.co/61oqPJeDz1. @NatlBlueRibbon #nbrs2021 pic.twitter.com/0z7TIPF6Mw
— Carmel Catholic High School (@CCHSCorsairs) September" class="redactor-linkify-object">https://twitter.com/CCHSCorsai... 21, 2021

The federal government started the Blue Ribbon education awards in 1982. They are available to up to 420 schools every year, with individual schools eligible for nomination every five years.

This year, 317 public schools and 50 private schools received the designation nationwide. They included 21 schools in Illinois, according to the Education Department.

The Blue Ribbon designation is available to two categories of nominee: "Exemplary High Performing Schools," where students score the highest on standardized tests, and "Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing Schools," which have shown success in narrowing academic disparities among students.

Carmel Catholic was picked as an an "exemplary high performing school." The full list of selections can be found here.

"Congratulations to this year's National Blue Ribbon School awardees," Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Thursday in a statement announcing the winners. "It's a privilege to recognize the extraordinary work you do to meet students' needs and prepare them for successful careers and meaningful lives."