Blue Ribbon honor to Lake Zurich school

During a special Mass at St. Francis de Sales Church in Lake Zurich on Wednesday, the Rev. David Ryan spoke about the parish school being honored with a national Blue Ribbon award.

Students and teachers didn't really need a plaque or letters from government officials to know they're part of a strong academic program, he said.

"We should have already known that we are a Blue Ribbon school," Ryan told the packed chapel.

Even so, Ryan said, it's nice to get the honor. Hence Wednesday morning's celebration, which recognized the school being honored by the U.S. Department of Education.

With a student body composed of preschoolers through eighth-graders, St. Francis was among 19 Illinois public and private schools that received No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon awards at a Washington, D.C., ceremony in November.

Nationally, 287 schools received the honor.

A representative from the education department presented the award to the school Wednesday as part of Catholic Schools Week. It was the first Blue Ribbon award for St. Francis, officials said.

"We are here to celebrate your accomplishments as a church family and a school," said Todd Zoellick, a Midwest representative of the education department. "There's no more fitting time to be doing that than Catholic Schools Week."

Two other Catholic schools in Lake County, Carmel Catholic High School in Mundelein and St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic School in Fremont Township, were similarly honored Tuesday.

Zoellick called Blue Ribbon schools "models for the rest of the nation."

"(They) provide ideas and strategies other schools can use to meet their own needs," he said.

Long Grove Village President Maria Rodriguez also congratulated the parish on the honor. During brief remarks, she urged students to use the award as a reminder to do well in the future.

"Make Blue Ribbon choices," she said. "Continue to be a Blue Ribbon student."