Whitney M. Young Magnet High School has been named a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.
Young, located at 211 S. Laflin St., is the only Chicago school to receive the Blue Ribbon honor this year and one of only three high schools from the state of Illinois – New Trier and Deerfield high schools being the others – to receive the coveted designation in 2009.
In addition to the three high schools, 12 elementary schools from the state of Illinois are being honored as Blue Ribbon Schools.
Young is among a total of 314 schools nationwide – 264 public and 50 private schools – that will be honored at an awards ceremony on Nov. 3 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C.
The award honors public and private elementary, middle and high schools that are either academically superior or have made dramatic gains in student achievement, and helped close gaps in achievement among minority and disadvantaged students.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon Schools program honors schools based on one of two criteria:
- Schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests or, in the case of private schools, in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally normed tests.
- Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that demonstrate dramatic improvement of student performance to high levels on state tests or nationally normed tests.
Over the past 27 years, more than 6,150 of America’s schools have received the coveted Blue Ribbon award.
Young also is among the few schools that have been chosen to present a “best practice” curriculum at the event. Dr. Joyce Kenner, Young’s principal, will attend the event along with Social Science department chairperson Brian Tennison, who will make the presentation.
Learn more about the U.S. Department of Education’s Blue Ribbon Schools program.
About Chicago Public Schools
Chicago Public Schools serves approximately 407,000 students in 666 schools. It is the nation’s third-largest school district.
