Ottawa Hills Jr/Sr High School Named a National Blue Ribbon School

Ottawa Hills Jr./Sr. High School has been named a National Blue Ribbon School, one of the most prestigious honors a school can receive in the United States.

The National Blue-Ribbon Schools Program has recognized public and private schools for overall academic excellence for more than 40 years. Ottawa Hills Jr/Sr High School was recognized in the Exemplary High Performing category, which identifies schools that rank among the highest performers in their state as measured by state assessments or national standardized testing.

The honor is highly competitive. Schools must submit a rigorous application detailing their culture, curriculum, assessments, instructional practices, professional development, leadership, and family and community involvement. From all applications received nationally, no more than 420 schools are nominated before the final list is selected. Schools must also have been in existence for at least five years and are ineligible if they have received the award within the prior five years.

"This recognition is a direct reflection of the dedication and excellence our teachers and staff bring to Ottawa Hills every single day. They set a high bar for themselves and for our students, and this award is a testament to that commitment," said Ottawa Hills Jr./Sr. High School Principal Ben McMurray.

Ottawa Hills Jr./Sr. High School is consistently among Ohio's top-ranked schools, earning 5-star ratings on the Ohio School Report Card and recognition as a Cognia School of Distinction. U.S. News and World Report ranked the school No. 1 in the Toledo metro area, No. 3 in the state and No. 169 in the nation in 2025. The school offers 18 AP courses, more than 99% of graduates enroll in higher education, and the average ACT composite score of 27 far exceeds state and national averages. For more than a decade, the school has earned the Governor's Thomas Edison Award for Excellence in STEM Education.

Ottawa Hills Jr/Sr High School received notice of earning the award from the U.S. Department of Education last fall. While the program has historically been administered by the U.S. Department of Education, the award was officially presented by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce in March 2026 following restructuring within the federal government.

More information can be found at: https://education.ohio.gov/Media/Ed-Connection/April-7-2026/Ohio-recognizes-schools-with-2025-Blue-Ribbon-desi

Quiz Bowl State Champions

School history was made on Saturday, April 11, in Bellefontaine, Ohio, as the Ottawa Hills High School Quiz Bowl team delivered a powerhouse performance at the 2026 NAQT Ohio State Championship. The Green Bears captured the Small School State Championship title! Our students demonstrated incredible intellectual grit and quick reflexes throughout a long day of high-stakes competition. Competing in the top tier of the tournament, Ottawa Hills A finished with an impressive 8-2 record, tying for 2nd place overall in the Championship Group against the best programs in the state.

This stellar performance secured their rank as the #1 Small School in Ohio. The Championship Group featured intense matchups against formidable opponents that included Solon, Talawanda, Mason, Little Miami and both defending overall State Champion Northmont and defending Small School State Champion Pandora-Gilboa.

This year’s State competition roster includes: Jasper Allred, Josef Duley, Pranathi Gundabolu, Sam Kapadia, Audrey Kelm, Rory Norris, Sungjoo Park, Evelyn Parsons, and Emily Timmerman, with Meral Humaida, Rohan Padhye, Sahil Parikh and Zacharia Rashid securing the title as Ottawa Hills Team A.

The team is now preparing for two major upcoming competitions. They will travel to Chicago from April 24–26 to compete in the Small School National Championship against the other top small schools in the country. Following that, the Green Bears will head to Atlanta from May 22–24 to represent Ottawa Hills at the NAQT High School National Championship. Team leading scorer Zacharia Rashid competed at the NAQT Individual Player National Championship in Chicago this weekend.

This achievement would not be possible without the unwavering support of our school community. We extend a special thank you to the Ottawa Hills Schools Parent Association (OHSPA) and the Ottawa Hills Schools Foundation.

Shout out to advisor Tim Adkins, for his commitment to the team’s success. Congratulations to our State Champions! We are incredibly proud of your hard work and look forward to cheering you on in Chicago and Atlanta. Go Green Bears!

The team will be formally recognized at the spring sports assembly along with state championship swimmer Thomas Lathrop and state champion debater Anna Yang.

Quiz Bowl State Champions

The team will be formally recognized at the spring sports assembly along with state championship swimmer Thomas Lathrop and state champion debater Anna Yang.