Blue Ribbon Schools

River Hill High School and Burleigh Manor Middle are Blue Ribbon schools.

That's according to the feds, who bestow the honors on schools that meet one of two criteria: "1) Schools with at least 40 percent of their students from disadvantaged backgrounds that dramatically improve student performance to high levels on state tests; and 2) Schools whose students, regardless of background, achieve in the top 10 percent of their state on state tests or in the case of private schools in the top 10 percent of the nation on nationally-normed tests."

We assume River Hill and Burleigh Manor made the grade because of No. 2.

The two schools were among seven in Maryland, and 287 nationwide, according to the Education Department's list.

What do the honorees get?

Bragging rights of course.

Two people from each school, the principal and a teacher, also will be invited to a ceremony in Washington in November. There they will receive a plaque and a flag signifying their new status.