Last week, officials and students at Elberta Elementary celebrated their win as one of the top schools in the nation.

Elberta Elementary School was named a 2022 National Blue Ribbon School earlier this year by the U.S. Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona. Nationally, 297 schools were recognized for the award, including five schools in Alabama.

Schools are recognized based on overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.

Up to 420 schools can be nominated each year to receive the award. Schools are nominated by the top education official in all states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, the Department of Defense Education Activity and the Bureau of Indian Education.

Private schools are nominated by the Council for American Private Education. According to a release, “National Blue Ribbon Schools serve as models of effective school practices for state and district educators and other schools throughout the nation. A National Blue Ribbon School flag gracing a school’s entryway or on a flagpole is a widely recognized symbol of exemplary teaching and learning.”