3 Oahu schools tapped for 2006 Blue Ribbon honor

Each will get $3,000 and have the chance to win $1,000 more

Kauluwela Elementary, King William Lunalilo Elementary and Nuuanu Elementary have been selected as Hawaii's Blue Ribbon Schools for 2006.

The honor is bestowed annually by the Hawaii Department of Education and Frito-Lay of Hawaii on schools that consistently perform well on standardized tests or that show significant academic improvement.

The three Honolulu schools will receive $3,000 each from Frito-Lay of Hawaii and serve as the state's nominees in the national No Child Left Behind-Blue Ribbon Schools program.

"It feels excellent and this really owes a lot to the great faculty and staff here that really put the children first," said Principal Dean Nakamoto of Lunalilo Elementary.

Each of the schools met state testing benchmarks this year and remain in the highest standing under the federal No Child Left Behind law.

All three of Hawaii's 2005 Blue Ribbon nominees -- Hokulani Elementary, Aliiolani Elementary and Kahala Elementary -- were selected as national Blue Ribbon Schools, earning them an additional $1,000 each.

Since 1988, 41 Hawaii public schools have been nominated to the national level, with 27 earning the nationwide honor.

Hawaii's three 2006 Blue Ribbon schools were chosen from 20 schools statewide.

The others were Aina Haina Elementary, Education Laboratory New Century Public Charter School, Haaheo Elementary, Kaiser High, Iliahi Elementary, Kahala Elementary, Kaimuki Middle, Koko Head Elementary, Lanikai Elementary Public Charter School, Maemae Elementary, Manoa Elementary, Momilani Elementary, Niu Valley Middle, Noelani Elementary, Kawananakoa Middle, Liliuokalani Elementary and Royal Elementary.