Memorial Elementary School, Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy and the High School for Law & Justice have been designated 2020 Blue Ribbon campuses by the U.S. Department of Education.

This is the first time the schools have received the designation, which is awarded to schools that maintain high academic standards among all its students while demonstrating progress in closing achievement gaps among various subgroups of students.

“I am extremely proud of our schools for being recognized with this prestigious honor,” said HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan. “The hard work is exemplified in the academic excellence of our students, and that takes an entire campus working together to reach such an impressive achievement.”

The coveted award affirms the hard work of educators, families, and communities in creating safe and welcoming schools where students master challenging and engaging content. Blue Ribbon schools are required to complete a rigorous process of submitting achievement data and essays about their instructional methods to the Department of Education.

Memorial Elementary School was recognized as an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School, while both Young Women’s Prep and the High School for Law & Justice were recognized as Exemplary High Performing Schools.

Three Houston Independent School District campuses received a 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools award on Thursday from the U.S. Department of Education. 

High School for Law and Justice (HSLJ), Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy (YWCPA), and Memorial Elementary School – all first-time winners – are among 26 schools in Texas to be nominated by the Texas Education Agency.

“I am extremely proud of our schools for being recognized with this prestigious honor,” said HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan. “The hard work is exemplified in the academic excellence of our students, and that takes an entire campus working together to reach such an impressive achievement.”

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that have high student achievement and/or highlights where exemplary progress has been made in closing achievement gaps.

HSLJ is a unique magnet school that offers students rigorous academics in conjunction with the exploration and in-depth study of law enforcement and criminal justice professions. HSLJ students take vocational classes at each grade level at the school’s state-of-the-art building, which features a courtroom, crime scene investigation labs, an emergency communications center, and a law library.

“It is an honor to receive this award for the very first time,” HSLJ Principal Stacy Garcia said. “Our students, staff, and the entire HSLJ community are dedicated to creating a culture of excellence and are thrilled to receive the designation.”

As one of two single-gender schools in HISD, YWCPA serves grades 6-12 and is designed to allow female students to learn in a unique learning environment. YWCPA’s magnet program focuses on college readiness and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). All core curriculum classes are Pre-Advanced Placement or Advanced Placement, offering students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school.

“Winning a National Blue Ribbon award is a huge testament to our entire team, especially our students,” YWCPA Principal April Williams said. “Our expectations are high, and our students and teachers put in the work needed to meet and maintain Blue Ribbon standards.”

Memorial Elementary serves students in Pre-K through fifth grade and offers Gifted and Talented (GT) and Dual Language programs.  

“We are humbled and inspired to win a Blue Ribbon Award,” Memorial ES Principal Maria Garcia said. “We owe this award to a fantastic staff, outstanding students, and great parents and community support.”

The 2020 National Blue Ribbon Schools Awards Ceremony will be held virtually Nov. 12 and 13.

For more on High School for Law and Justice, click here.

For more on Young Women’s College Preparatory Academy, click here.

For more on Memorial Elementary School, click here.

All three schools will be honored during a virtual awards ceremony Nov. 12-13. For more information about the National Blue Ribbon Award, visit https://www2.ed.gov/programs/nclbbrs.