Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy Named 2025 Michigan Blue Ribbon School

PLYMOUTH, Mich., Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- National Heritage Academies'^® (NHA) partner-school Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy was named a 2025 Michigan Blue Ribbon School by the Michigan Department of Education. The honor is a testament to strong partnerships between parents and teachers that inspire students to achieve. The school was identified as an Exemplary High Performing school, which means it is among the top performing schools in Michigan as measured by state assessments.

"I am so proud that our school is being recognized for our hard work in providing students a high-quality education," said Principal Sabrina Terenzi. "Our staff works tirelessly to ensure our students are getting personalized instruction to grow all our learners. We focus on growth and it shows in these results."

In previous years, the U.S. Department of Education bestowed the prestigious National Blue Ribbon Schools designation in recognition of schools that excelled in academic performance or made significant strides in closing achievement gaps among different student groups. However, this year the federal education department discontinued the national program after the nominations had been submitted. Fellow NHA partner-schools Pembroke Academy and Chandler Woods Charter Academy were named Blue Ribbon schools in 2024.

Blue Ribbon status is given to public and non-public schools and is based on student performance on state assessments in reading (ELA) and math, or a composite of performance on these assessments. Other student performance measures considered include student growth on state assessments, performance in other subjects on state assessments, and graduation rates.

Plymouth Scholars is just one of 16 schools to receive a Michigan Blue Ribbon honor this year. The school uses NHA's character-based Moral Focus^™ curriculum to give students a well-rounded education that sets them up for success later in life. Terenzi credited her students for their desire to achieve.

"Our students are actively engaged," Terenzi said. "They want to learn. They ask questions, investigate and take risks. Because of our tremendous culture, students feel safe to take these risks and be an active learner."

In a statement, Interim State Superintendent Dr. Sue C. Carnell shared, "Students and parents, school staff, and local communities deserve to be honored for the outstanding achievement by our Blue Ribbon Schools. These schools serve as an example to others and, at the same time, are representative of the accomplishments and progress at schools around the state."

Other recent accolades include being named the top charter middle school in Michigan in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report school rankings. The Plymouth Scholars elementary program also ranked third among Michigan charter elementary schools. Niche, an organization specializing in school data, named Plymouth Scholars as the top charter elementary and middle schools in their 2025 rankings.

Plymouth Scholars was also honored with the NHA Founder's Award for their work in creating a culture that emphasized Moral Focus^™ during the 2023-24 school year.

Principal Terenzi will attend the State Board of Education meeting on Nov. 13 to represent Plymouth Scholars where Michigan Blue Ribbon Schools will be honored.

About Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy:
Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Plymouth, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies^® network, which includes 103 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 68,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find the nearest NHA school near you, use the NHA school finder.

SOURCE National Heritage Academies