Five area high schools receive Blue Ribbon award

Five area high schools have been named to the 2012 list of National Blue Ribbon Schools.

Park Hill South High School and Lawson High School were among Missouri schools honored.

Basehor-Linwood High School, Blue Valley High School and St. Thomas Aquinas High School were some of the Kansas schools named.

The U.S. Department of Education recognized 219 public schools and 50 private schools nationwide in the annual award.

The local winning schools received the honor for stellar performance in state and national tests.