Academic honors for area athletes

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association Inc. (NYSPHSAA) has announced the Schools of Distinction and Excellence for the 2024-2025 school year.

To be recognized as a School of Distinction, a school must apply for the honor and have 100% of its varsity teams earn the Scholar-Athlete Team Award during their respective sports seasons. The School of Excellence designation is awarded to schools that apply and have at least 75% of their varsity teams achieve this same academic recognition.

“Congratulations to our Schools of Distinction and Excellence,” Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director said. “These prestigious honors represent the culmination of a school year marked by outstanding achievement in the classroom. These accolades would not be possible without the dedication, hard work, and commitment of the student-athletes, coaches, and administrators whose efforts these awards proudly recognize.”

This year, 110 schools earned the School of Distinction Award and 221 schools earned the School of Excellence Award. The purpose of the awards is to unite athletic departments in challenging their teams to achieve a statewide academic honor.

Schools of Distinction recognized in Sec. IX include John S. Burke Catholic High School (with 22 teams), S.S. Seward Institute (eight teams) and Warwick Valley High School (28 teams). Port Jervis High School (18 teams), Chester Academy (16 teams), and Monroe-Woodbury High School (30 teams) were noted as Schools of Excellence.

Winning schools will receive their commemorative awards at their local athletic director workshop this fall. To be eligible to receive these awards, schools must apply following the Spring Scholar-Athlete submission each school year.

Established in the 1991–92 school year, NYSPHSAA’s Scholar-Athlete Team Award honors academic achievement among student-athletes. The School of Distinction Award, introduced in 2002–03, and the School of Excellence Award, launched in 2016–17, further celebrate schools that exemplify a commitment to success in the classroom while balancing the demands of athletic participation. The honors showcase the dedication, discipline, and excellence demonstrated by students and school communities across New York State.