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Schools

M.A.T.E.S Recieves Blue Ribbon Status

Manahawkin school is one of only 17 across New Jersey to receive the honor

The Manahawkin-based Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science is one of only 17 schools in New Jersey that have been named as 2012 Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education.

According to information from the Department of Education, The Blue Ribbon School designation is one of the highest honors a school can receive in the American education system, recognizing public and non-public elementary, middle, and high schools where students consistently achieve at very high levels or where student performance has improved significantly.

State departments of education nominate schools for the prestigious awards annually.

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“We congratulate the six county vocational-technical high schools honored with the National Blue Ribbon designation for 2012,”  Dr. Philip Guenther, President of the New Jersey Council of County Vocational-Technical Schools and Superintendent of Atlantic County Institute of Technology, said in a press release. “This well-deserved recognition of outstanding student achievement demonstrates that 21st century career and technical education is far more challenging and rigorous than many people assume, providing excellent opportunities for all types of students to succeed.”

M.A.T.E.S. is a specialized, full-time, four-year high school developed around the marine and environmental science theme and is geared toward students who wish to concentrate in the areas of math and science.  

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Approximately 250 students from throughout Ocean County attend M.A.T.E.S.  During their junior and senior years, students have the opportunity to participate in externships in laboratories, field work, and the environmental sciences industry.

The 2012 Blue Ribbon Schools will be honored at a ceremony in Washington, DC, in November.

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