Pictured: Brenda Musilli Intel, Director of Education; President, Intel Foundation & Scott Overson Intel Director, Public Sector Marketing




Don Pedro Albizu Campos School/P.S. 161 and Chisholm Middle School are this year's two Best of the Best award-winning schools in the Intel and Scholastic Schools of Distinction Award (SoDA). Both schools were also selected as winners in the Collaboration and Teamwork category.

The two were selected from 16 2006 SoDA winners, and were honored at an awards gala in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 5. They will receive an additional $15,000 grant from the Intel Foundation. Schools winning this award must have a comprehensive program addressing technology, involvement of parents and the community, professional development and teamwork, and consistent achievement of high academic standards.

Don Pedro Albizu Campos School in New York is an urban public school with 936 students. Ninety-six percent of students receive free or reduced lunch, and the student-teacher ratio is 14 to 1. The school features an active PTA and computer training coursework for parents. It also boasts many innovative collaborative programs, including music instruction and parental volunteerism. Don Pedro leads the district with a 94 percent attendance rate.

Chisholm Middle School in Newton, Kan., is a rural public school with 442 students, 43 percent of whom receive free or reduced lunch. The student-teacher ratio is 16 to 1. Chisholm Middle School works in partnership with the broader community, including Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Catholic church nearby, which assists with homework classes for Hispanic students two nights a week. Recent data show the school's Hispanic students have improved their grades and homework completion 50 percent since the implementation of the program. Despite having nominal financial resources, the school has made consistent yearly progress and has been awarded state recognition for its academic achievement. In 2000, 43 percent of eighth grade students at the school were reading at or above proficiency; by 2005 that number had risen to 72 percent. In math, students improved proficiency from 60 percent to 90 percent.

To learn more, visit the press release or www.schoolsofdistinction.com.