COUNTYWIDE : 6 Schools Garner U.S. Excellence Awards

One of the highest honors in education was awarded Thursday to six Orange County schools, including two in Saddleback Valley Unified School District, by U.S. Education Secretary Richard W. Riley.

Recognized as national Blue Ribbon schools for excellence in instruction, student achievement and parental support were Santa Ana’s Foothill High School, along with Laguna Beach, La Habra and Mission Viejo high schools, Irvine Venado Middle School and Los Alisos Intermediate School.

“There really is no other award in education that carries so much distinction,” said Elaine Carter, a Saddleback Valley Unified spokeswoman whose district includes Mission Viejo High and Los Alisos Intermediate School. “We’re thrilled.”

“With some of the bad rap that education takes,” Carter said, “this demonstrates that our schools are doing a great job.”

The six Orange County schools were among 266 public and private institutions across the United States that received official word of their selection Thursday.

Schools were chosen after an exhaustive process that included a three-day visit to the campus by federal officials who interviewed students, teachers, administrators and parents.

Selection criteria included: challenging academic standards, a drug-free environment, strong parental and community support, excellent teaching methodology and documented student achievement.

“These schools are testimony to the successes we can have in American education if we work together to raise standards and focus on the basics of better schools,” Riley said in a statement. “Each of them has demonstrated the key ingredients for success.”