The U.S. Department of Education has named six public and two parochial Maryland schools as 2015 National Blue Ribbon schools.

According to The Baltimore Sun,

The designation given to the most successful schools in the country went to schools in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, Frederick and Washington counties.

In the Baltimore region, the schools named were Lake Shore Elementary School and Severna Park Elementary in Anne Arundel County; Pine Grove Elementary in Baltimore County; and Fountain Green Elementary in Harford County.

Kemptown Elementary School in Frederick County and Smithsburg High School in Washington County were also named Blue Ribbon Schools.

The two parochial schools named are Cardinal Hickey Academy in Calvert County and Our Lady of Lourdes School in Bethesda.

Maryland gave the six public schools state blue ribbon status last December and nominated them for the national status.

“These six schools proudly represent the outstanding education taking place in schools and classrooms throughout Maryland,” interim state schools Superintendent Jack R. Smith said. “We congratulate everyone involved, from the students to the teachers, to the administrators, to the parents and communities.”

To read more about the schools awarded with National Blue Ribbons, please visit The Baltimore Sun online.