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THE NEWSPAPER OF FLUSHING, AUBURNDALE, KEW GARDENS HILLS & FRESH MEADOWS
OFFICIALS CELEBRATE M.S. 74 IN OAKLAND
GARDENS AS NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL
Vol. 30 No. 49 32 total pages
BY JENNA BAGCAL
A middle school in
Oakland Gardens recently
celebrated its status
as a 2021 National
Blue Ribbon School, one
of only 325 schools across
the country to earn this
distinction.
On Wednesday, Nov. 17,
local elected officials joined
students, parents and staff
at Nathaniel Hawthorne
Middle School 74 for a special
ribbon-cutting and ceremony.
The U.S. Department of
Education-run program recognizes
a school’s overall
academic performance or
progress in closing achievement
gaps among student
subgroups.
The federal recognition
got its start 39 years ago
and has been awarded 10,000
times to more than 9,000
schools.
M.S. 74 was one of 18
schools in New York City to
earn the Blue Ribbon distinction.
The program places
schools in one of two performance
categories based on
all student scores, subgroup
student scores and graduations
rates.
The first is exemplary
high-performing schools,
based on state assessments
or nationally normed tests.
The second is exemplary
achievement gap-closing
schools, which are institutions
that have closed
achievement gaps between
student groups and all students.
Congresswoman Grace
Meng, who was in Washington
at the time of the
ceremony, issued a statement
about her alma mater’s
achievement.
“As a graduate of Nathaniel
Hawthorne Middle
School 74, I am extremely
proud that it has been
named a National Blue Ribbon
School. This is a tremendous
achievement and it underscores
the hard work that
the entire school team does
in making students succeed
and flourish. Congratulations
to the entire M.S. 74
school community!”
Other elected officials
took to social media to celebrate
the Oakland Gardens
middle school.
“Thrilled to literally cut
the Blue Ribbon @TEAM74Q
as we celebrate their new status
as a national blue ribbon
school,” Councilman Barry
Grodenchik tweeted. “My
heartiest congratulations to
all who have worked so hard
to make this incredible accomplishment
happen.”
Councilwoman-elect Linda
Lee also chimed in on
Twitter.
Photos via Twitter/Councilman Barry Grodenchik (above) and Twitter/Borough President Donovan Richards (below).
“We had a great time today
celebrating @TEAM74Q
receiving the National Blue
Ribbon Award today! Despite
last year’s challenges,
MS74’s students, teachers,
and parents prioritized academic
achievement and set
an example for all of Queens.
Congrats,” she tweeted.
Borough President Donovan
Richards also offered
his congratulations on Twitter.
“Despite going through
a pandemic, it was determination,
hard work and a
positive attitude that has
earned everyone this award.
Continue to shine MS 74, and
keep making us proud,” he
said.
Reach reporter Jenna
Bagcal by e-mail at
jbagcal@schnepsmedia.com
or by phone at (718) 260-2583.
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