Pike Liberal Arts School has attained the Alabama Independent School Association (AISA) Blue Ribbon School designation for the 2014-2015 school year.

Becky Baggett, PLAS headmaster, said an AISA Blue Ribbon School is recognized as exemplifying excellence in teaching, student performance, school life and school and community interaction.

PLAS has been attained Blue Ribbon School status for each of the 14 years the AISA has sponsored the Blue Ribbon School program.

“The Blue Ribbon School designation is something that we strive for at PLAS,” Baggett said. “We are proud and honored to receive this recognition and that the AISA has deemed PLAS a worthy recipient of the award.”

However, PLAS is not standing on its laurels.

“We, like all AISA Blue Ribbon Schools, are involved in an on-going process of school improvement,” Baggett said. “We stress academics at Pike Liberal Arts. We don’t deal with federal programs so we can focus on teaching our students without dealing with volumes of paperwork.”

Baggett said PLAS offers an advanced curriculum that is directed toward meeting the educational needs of its students so they can be successful at the next level.

“The graduation rate at Pike Liberal Arts is 99 percent, actually closer to 100 percent,” Baggett said. “Our 2014 graduating class accepted $2 million in scholarship awards. That says a lot about PLAS.”

Baggett said PLAS also places a great emphasis on extra curricular activities and on community service.

“At PLAS, we are dedicated to building character as well as educating kids,” she said. “When prayer was taken out of schools, things started to go downhill. We start every day with scripture and prayer. We begin all our activities with prayer.

And, we also have chapel time and pastors and youth leaders are invited to speak to our students. That’s the ‘Patriot Way’ and the AISA way.”

Baggett said the AISA has been steadfast in its efforts to maintain an organization of independently operated non-public schools that are rich in diversity, committed to academic excellence and deeply concerned about the growth and development of children and youth.