My high school praised by US News & World Report as one of best schools in the nation (top 3%)

Back when I graduated from Caddo Parish Magnet High School in Shreveport, Louisiana almost 25 years ago, I knew then (even as a young man) that the school was extraordinarily excellent. My high school years there coincided closely with the school's genesis. CMHS first opened in August, 1980. The very next year I enrolled as a 13-year-old freshman (yes, 13). There were no seniors during my first year, because the school had opened with only ninth and tenth graders (600 in total) the prior year. The freshman class following mine (those enrolled in 1982) finally had seniors on campus with them.

Over the years the wonderful faculty and dedicated students continued to build on the school's stellar foundation, expanding the vision into a full blown tradition. The school's history of excellence has been noted and rewarded by US News & World Report for the last three years running. The following is quoted from an article on the Business Images Northwest Louisiana website:

Caddo Parish Magnet High School was one of two area schools recently recognized by U.S. News & World Report.

When U.S. News & World Report analyzed thousands of schools to identify the best high schools of 2008, two Northwest Louisiana schools made the list.

Caddo Parish Magnet High School in Shreveport was awarded a silver medal by the national magazine, signifying the school’s ranking in the top 3 percent of high schools analyzed nationwide.

According to the school's own website (as of the time of this posting), that honor has been bestowed three years in a row:

U.S. News & World Report named 31 Louisiana high schools among "America's Best High Schools." Caddo Magnet was recognized with a silver medal ranking for the third consecutive year. This award is based on their college readiness index, which measures the extent to which students are exposed to and master some college-level material while in high school. Only five Louisiana high schools earned silver medals, and Caddo Magnet is the only one of those in north Louisiana.

Kudos to the tremendous CMHS faculty (and all the dedicated students there) for making us all proud of the old stomping ground.