Holy Spirit Catholic School is the only Catholic school in the state of Texas to receive the coveted Blue Ribbon School award from the United States Department of Education in 2001. Holy Spirit is one of only 30 Catholic schools (out of a total of 264 public and private elementary schools) in the United States to be selected.

Established by the Secretary of Education in 1982, Blue Ribbon identifies and gives public recognition to outstanding public and private schools across the United States. The application process is rigorous. "Blue Ribbon Schools model excellence and equity. They exhibit a strong commitment to educational excellence for all students. The school's success is furthering the intellectual, social, moral, and physical growth of all its students," according to the program's mission statement.

Joe McTight, executive director of the Council for American Private Education (CAPE), says that the Holy Spirit Catholic School Community should feel very proud of its Blue Ribbon Award. "It is quite a prestigious accomplishment to receive the Blue Ribbon. Since 1982, only 700 private schools across the country have been chosen for the award. There are 27,000 private schools in the United States, so Holy Spirit should consider itself among an elite group of exceptional schools," Mr. McTighe says.

As stated by Mr. Robert J. Kealy, Ed.D., Executive Director, Department of Elementary Schools, National Catholic Education Association, "The Blue Ribbon Program offers another opportunity for us to tell the story of Catholic education to the entire country."

And what a story Holy Spirit Catholic School has to share!