M.C. Perry Elementary School aboard Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni will host an official ceremony to celebrate their recognition as a 2014-2015 Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. The ceremony will occur at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Apr. 21.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has, since 1982, recognized great American schools based on their overall academic excellence and/or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. The Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, recognized 336 schools out of 138,000 schools in the United States as National Blue Ribbon Schools in the 2014-2015 school year. The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) nominates just three schools for the Blue Ribbon award annually, one from DoDDS-Europe, one from DoDDS-Pacific and one from DDESS (stateside).

The DoDEA Pacific Area Director, Dr. Linda Curtis, and the District Superintendent, Ms. Lois Rapp, will attend the ceremony. A small parade will turn into the school, at which time the flag will be presented and flown, for the first time.

Media representatives interested in covering the ceremony should contact the MCAS Iwakuni Public Affairs Office at 0827-79-5551 no later than noon, Friday, April 17."