Kennedy Junior High School, part of Naperville School District 203, is one of 15 public schools in Illinois to be named a 2025 Illinois Governor’s Blue Ribbon Schools winner.
The award was launched this year by Gov. JB Pritzker to recognize exemplary academic performance and commitment to educational excellence. The award was granted to 15 public and 13 private schools statewide.
“At a moment when quality education is more important than ever, we will never abandon our pursuit of academic excellence or recognition of the teachers and students doing the hard work every day — that’s why we are proud to honor 28 Illinois schools as part of the new Governor’s Blue Ribbon Schools Program,” Pritzker said in a news release.
“Illinois will always strive to give our students and schools the tools and support they need to succeed. Nothing is more important than our children, and education is the foundation of strong communities, the stability of our democracy, and the health of our economy.”
The Illinois Governor’s Blue Ribbons Schools program comes after the Trump administration canceled the U.S. Department of Education’s nationwide Blue Ribbon program in August, just before the recipients were to be announced, Pritzker’s news release said.
For more than 40 years, the National Blue Ribbon Schools program honored public and private schools based on exemplary student achievement.
In 2024, Scott Elementary School and Naperville Central High School, part of Naperville School District 203, as well as Neuqua Valley High School, part of Indian Prairie School District 204, were among the nationwide winners that were named National Blue Ribbon Schools.
The Illinois State Board of Education will manage the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Schools application process going forward, the news release said.
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Representatives for Kennedy Junior High School will be invited to a special recognition event at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield this spring.
“Earning the Governor’s Blue Ribbon designation is a powerful affirmation that our mission to foster self-directed learners and complex thinkers is succeeding,” Kennedy Junior High Principal Patrick Gaskin said in a statement.
“This award belongs to every teacher, staff member, student and family who has dedicated themselves to a culture of excellence. We are honored to serve as a model for educational achievement in Illinois.”
Michelle Mullins is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.