Carnegie Vanguard High School was one of the four Houston Independent School District high schools recently ranked on the 2010 Best High Schools U.S. News and World Report.

Carnegie Vanguard High School and Michael DeBakey High School for Health Professions made the Top 100 list. DeBakey was placed at number 40 and Carnegie Vanguard at number 77. Both schools have made the Top 100 list since its inception three years ago.

The 100 schools that did the best in this analysis earned gold medals. The next 461 schools were awarded silver medals, and 1,189 schools earned bronze medals. Challenge Early College High School, the High School for Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, and the High School for Performing and Visual Arts received silver medals, and Eastwood Academy received a bronze medal.

“I am extremely proud of these six schools. All of them have all made this list for multiple years, which speaks volumes about continuing excellence,” HISD Superintendent Terry Grier said. “I look forward to more HISD high schools’ joining these schools on the list. We have several that I believe are strong contenders.”

            According to Ramon Moss, Carnegie Vanguard principal, the reason Carnegie Vanguard students are successful is because of their passion to be challenged academically and their need to excel in extracurricular activities.

            “CVHS students appreciate an environment that continuously challenges them academically while also providing opportunities to grow and excel in extracurricular activities,” Moss said. “I find CVHS students very well-rounded, mature and articulate.”

            Moss said that through the small class settings, teachers are able to challenge and motivate students with a rigorous curriculum.

            “The master schedule is planned to allow teachers per grade level an opportunity to collaborate and make connections between content areas so that material learned in one subject compliments materials covered in other classes,” Moss said. “A small student-teacher ratio helps to enable positive relationships between peers and educators.”

            Moss said Carnegie Vanguard’s close-knit community of faculty, staff, teachers and students helps to improve student performance and allow for individual students to be assessed academically.

            “Teachers volunteer planning times and lunch duty to assist student needs and student members of the National Honor Society also provide peer tutoring on a frequent basis,” Moss said. “CVHS has an atmosphere in which students are proud of their accomplishments and assist each other in maintaining a high degree of performance and expectations.”

            DeBakey Principal Linda Lazenby said, “We are extremely proud of our entire school community: students, staff, parents, HISD, Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Medical Center. This honor is possible due to their commitment and assisting us to provide a strong college-preparatory program to all of our students.”