COOK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL in Garden Grove.

Three out of the six Orange County schools recognized this week as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the U.S. Department of Education were from the Garden Grove Unified School District.

The status as Blue Ribbon Schools is awarded for overall academic progress or progress in closing achievement gaps among students of different background. The program started in 1982.

The local schools honored were:

• A.G. Cook Elementary School in Garden Grove;
• Thomas Paine Elementary School in Garden Grove;
• Susan B. Anthony Elementary School in Westminster.

Other Orange County schools were:

• Early College High School in Costa Mesa;
• Crean Lutheran High School in Irvine;
• Buena Terra Elementary School in Buena Park.

For more information, go to https://nationalblueribbonschools.ed.gov .