# Youth Service America Recognizes 50 National Gold Ribbon Schools in Service-Learning - Published: 2026-11-05 (updated 2026-11-06) - Author: [Education News](https://educationnews.io/author/educationnews-io.md) - Topics: [News](https://educationnews.io/news.md) - Source: https://educationnews.io/news/youth-service-america-recognizes-50-national-gold-ribbon-schools-in-service-learning/ - Publication: Education News - Publisher: Connectively (Terkel, Inc.) - Editorial policy: https://educationnews.io/editorial-policy/ [![National Gold Ribbon Schools in Service-Learning Banner with Map of Honorees](https://www.einpresswire.com/image/medium/1243315/gold-ribbon-schools-banner.png)](https://www.einpresswire.com/image/large/1243315/gold-ribbon-schools-banner.png#1024x512) WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, November 5, 2026 /[EINPresswire.com](https://www.einpresswire.com/)/ -- Youth Service America (YSA) recognizes 50 K-12 schools across the United States selected as [2026 National Gold Ribbon School in Service-Learning](https://ysa.org/schools/), honoring their commitment to youth voice and leadership, civic engagement, and student-led community impact. This national honor highlights their exceptional commitment to empowering students through service-learning initiatives that address real-world challenges. Schools were selected based on responses submitted by their principal or other school administrator to a [national survey](https://ysa.org/newera/k12survey/) measuring the prevalence of youth service and community participation in America's K-12 schools. Criteria included the percentage of students participating in service-learning, whether the school has a service-learning requirement for some or all students, whether the school regularly arranges service-learning opportunities for students, the percentage of teachers trained in and using service-learning in their classrooms, integration of 6 student voice and leadership practices, and implementation of 13 service-learning practices based on the [K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice](https://nylc.org/k-12-standards/). The 2026 honorees are: Amy Biehl Charter High School - Albuquerque, NM - Amy Biehl High School District Bridgeprep Academy Duval County - Miami, FL - Duval County Public Schools Camden Forward School/Urban Promise Academy - Camden, NJ Center Virtual Academy - Center, CO - Center Consolidated School District No. 26 Centerville High School - Centerville, SD - Centerville School District Central Magnet School - Murfreesboro, TN - Rutherford County Schools Chain Exploration Center - Waupaca, WI - Waupaca School District Claymont High School - Uhrichsville, OH - Claymont City Schools Craigmont High School - Memphis, TN - Shelby County Schools Crescent View Academy - Aurora, CO Damascus High School - Damascus, MD - Montgomery County Public Schools Del Norte High School - Albuquerque, NM - Albuquerque Public Schools Earle B. Wood Middle School - Rockville, MD - Montgomery County Public Schools Freedom High School - Oakley, CA - Liberty Union High School District Ft Sam Houston Elementary School - San Antonio, TX - Ft Sam Houston Independent School District Gaithersburg High School - Gaithersburg, MD - Montgomery County Public Schools Green Hope High School - Cary, NC - Wake County Schools Hillview High School - Tustin, CA - Tustin Unified School District Islamic School Of Rhode Island - West Warwick, RI John H. Francis Polytechnic - Sun Valley, CA - Los Angeles Unified School District Julius West Middle School - Rockville, MD - Montgomery County Public Schools Lomie G. Heard Elementary School - Las Vegas, NV - Clark County School District Los Encinos School - Encino, CA Middle Valley Elementary School - Hixson, TN - Hamilton County Schools Mission Continuation High School - San Fernando, CA - Los Angeles Unified School District New Roberto Clemente School - Paterson, NJ - Paterson Public Schools Newesd 101 Open Doors Program - Spokane, WA - Educational Service District 101 Odessa Shannon Middle School - Silver Spring, MD - Montgomery County Public Schools Odyssey STEM Academy - Lakewood, CA - Paramount Unified School District Poway To Palomar Middle College High - San Diego, CA - Poway Unified School District Public School 133 Fred R Moore - New York, NY - New York City Geographic District #5 Public School 527 East Side School For Social Action - New York, NY - New York City Geographic District #2 Putnam City West High School - Oklahoma City, OK - Putnam City Schools Quince Orchard High School - Gaithersburg, MD - Montgomery County Public Schools Quincy Middle School - Quincy, MI - Quincy Community Schools Redland Middle School - Rockville, MD - Montgomery County Public Schools Reese Road Leadership Academy - Columbus, GA - Muscogee County School District Renaissance Charter School At Chickasaw Trail - Orlando, FL - Orange County Public Schools Ridgeview Middle School - Gaithersburg, MD - Montgomery County Public Schools Shady Grove Middle School - Gaithersburg, MD - Montgomery County Public Schools Sierra High School - Manteca, CA - Manteca Unified School District SOAR Charter Academy - San Bernardino, CA - San Bernardino City Unified School District The Foundation Academy - Jacksonville, FL - Duval County Public Schools Vanguard High School - New York, NY - New York City Geographic District #2 Walker Middle Magnet - Odessa, FL - Hillsborough County Public Schools Wesley Prep - Dallas, TX West Harrison Middle School - Gulfport, MS - Harrison County School District Western New York Maritime Charter School - Buffalo, NY - Western New York Maritime Charter School William H. Farquhar Middle School - Olney, MD - Montgomery County Public Schools Yucca Valley High School - Yucca Valley, CA - Morongo Unified School District Selected from a national pool of over 400 schools that responded to the survey, these schools exemplify what it means to create a culture of service-learning - where students take the lead in identifying real-world problems, collaborating with community partners, and building solutions that foster meaning, purpose, and belonging. Students in these districts aren’t just learning about the world - they’re improving it. “These districts aren’t just checking a box for community service. They’ve embedded service-learning into the curriculum, empowered students as change agents, and built sustainable systems to ensure every student has access to meaningful civic engagement opportunities,” said Michael Minks, Vice President of Partnerships at YSA. “We’re honored to recognize them for setting the bar nationally.” To learn more about Youth Service America, visit YSA.org Youth Service America outreach@ysa.org Michael Minks Visit us on social media: [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/youth-service-america/) Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above. ![](https://www.einpresswire.com/tracking/article.gif?aid=954870441§ion=einpresswire&a=9TycwRiLBjoD4eat&r=abNkDnK8WBGAbLw1&i=SrurpyD8KsAbylhG) ## Related - [Classroom Learning: How Schools Keep Momentum During Staff Absences](https://educationnews.io/qa/classroom-learning-how-schools-keep-momentum-during-staff-absences.md) - [Classroom Practices That Reduce Disruptions and Protect Learning Time](https://educationnews.io/qa/classroom-practices-that-reduce-disruptions-and-protect-learning-time.md) - [School Leaders Share Phone Boundaries That Protect Learning](https://educationnews.io/qa/school-leaders-share-phone-boundaries-that-protect-learning.md) - [School Teachers Share Substitute Plans That Keep Classes Calm and Learning Moving](https://educationnews.io/qa/school-teachers-share-substitute-plans-that-keep-classes-calm-and-learning-moving.md)