Freeport Area High School receives National Blue Ribbon School distinction

Freeport Area High School has been recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education.

The National Blue Ribbon School distinction recognizes top public and non-public schools annually.

Freeport Area High School was one of 367 schools nationwide to earn the title for this year.

Principal Michael Kleckner said winning the award proves the school is providing a well-rounded, top-notch education.

“It just validates that the things we’re doing for our kids are the right things to do for kids,” he said. “You second-guess yourself a lot in this world. This just validates that the things we’re doing — our Career Pathways, our internships, our social-emotional learning program — they’re working.”

He said school officials specifically highlighted the school’s Career Pathways program in the application.

Career Pathways helps students find courses that align with their career goals. It also helps students recognize the different paths they may take to find a career.

“We wanted to give the kids a pathway so they have a direction,” he said, noting the school also helps students find internships and job shadowing opportunities.

Another key program at Freeport Area High School focuses on social-emotional learning, Kleckner said.

“We try to reach the whole child and not just focus on academics. We focus on the social and we focus on the academic. We feel that gives us well-rounded students,” Kleckner said, adding the school has a licensed counselor who meets with students regularly.

Freeport Area High School also offers dual enrollment opportunities with the University of Pittsburgh, Seton Hill University and Westmoreland County Community College. It also has seven Advanced Placement courses.

The school has 390 students involved in athletics and 225 students in the music program. Every student is involved in at least one club, and students participated in more than 4,800 hours of community service in the past year, according to the school’s National Blue Ribbon school profile.

“The kids and the staff are the ones that should be talked about, because they have done all the work to make this happen,” Kleckner said. “Our kids are the ones that make us look good here.”

Receiving the award was particularly special as schools navigate the covid-19 pandemic, Kleckner said.

“In these times of all this craziness, to have an honor like that put a pause to the craziness and let us know that our efforts in the past have paid off,” he said.