EDWARDSBURG — Eagle Lake Elementary has been named among the best in the nation.

U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos announced recently that Eagle Lake Elementary was named a 2018 National Blue Ribbon School.

“Eagle Lake Elementary School is a community of professionals dedicated to helping the children entrusted to us grow academically, socially and emotionally. We are honored to be recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School,” said Principal Deb Becraft.

“The Edwardsburg community can be very proud of our tremendous teachers and dedicated students at Eagle Lake,” said Superintendent Jim Knoll. “It is a testament to the hard work and high expectations of each and every Eddie in our district.”

National Blue Ribbon Schools are on education’s cutting edge, pioneering innovative educational practices from professional learning communities and project-based learning to social and emotional learning and positive behavior systems. Schools are nominated by the state department of education and then complete a comprehensive application about school practices.

School officials will represent Eagle Lake at a two-day awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., where they will hear from DeVos and other esteemed educators, share best practices with each other and celebrate their hard-won achievements. According to the National Blue Ribbon Schools website, 13 Michigan schools were recognized with Blue Ribbon status in 2018. Nationwide, 249 schools were recognized in 47 states. Among those, 300 were public schools and 49 were non-public schools. Thirty-eight percent of the schools awarded were in rural communities or small towns like Edwardsburg. Forty-four percent were suburban, and 19 percent were in urban and large cities.

Since 1982, the U.S. Department of Education has identified and celebrated excellence in education. More than 8,500 recognized public and non-public National Blue Ribbon Schools represent U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Native tribes, territories and military bases. Together they feature effective teaching and learning at all grade levels, in all geographic settings, and with all students.