ick ▁Category : C ross ings ▁of ▁the ▁Saint ▁John ▁River ▁( B ay ▁of ▁Fund y ) ▁Category : C able ▁fer ries ▁in ▁Canada <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁Program ▁is ▁a ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁Education ▁award ▁program ▁created ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁that ▁recogn izes ▁exempl ary ▁public ▁and ▁non - public ▁schools ▁on ▁a ▁year ly ▁basis . ▁ ▁Using ▁standards ▁of ▁excell ence ▁ev iden ced ▁by ▁student ▁achiev ement ▁measures , ▁the ▁Department ▁hon ors ▁high - perform ing ▁schools ▁and ▁schools ▁that ▁are ▁making ▁great ▁str ides ▁in ▁closing ▁any ▁achiev ement ▁g aps ▁between ▁students . ▁▁ ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁Education ▁is ▁responsible ▁for ▁admin ister ing ▁the ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁Program , ▁which ▁is ▁supported ▁through ▁on going ▁collaboration ▁with ▁the ▁National ▁Association ▁of ▁Element ary ▁School ▁Princi p als , ▁Association ▁for ▁Middle ▁Level ▁Education , ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁Association ▁of ▁Second ary ▁School ▁Princi p als . ▁ ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁Education ▁has ▁presented ▁the ▁award ▁to ▁more ▁than ▁ 8 , 8 0 0 ▁schools ▁since ▁the ▁program ' s ▁found ing ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁ ▁National ▁Blue ▁Rib bon ▁School s ▁represent ▁the ▁full ▁divers ity ▁of ▁American ▁schools : ▁public ▁schools ▁including ▁Title ▁I ▁schools , ▁char ter ▁schools , ▁magnet / choice ▁schools , ▁and ▁non - public ▁schools ▁including ▁par och ial ▁and ▁independent ▁schools