Lakewood Elementary recently achieved a long-sought honor when it became a 2008 No Child Left Behind Blue Ribbon School — one of only 26 in Texas. The designation puts Lakewood on a relatively short list of Texas’ academically superior schools. The only two other DISD schools honored were Ben Milam Elementary in Uptown and the School of Business and Management at Yvonne A. Ewell at Townview Center. Blue Ribbon schools are recognized based on one of two qualifications — either 40 percent of students from disadvantaged backgrounds experience dramatic improvement on state tests over a three-year period, or all students placed in the top 10 percent on state tests.DISD Supt. Michael Hinojosa says being named a blue ribbon school is no small feat. “Meeting the criteria to become a Blue Ribbon School is more difficult than in previous years. These schools have gone through a rigorous process to receive this honor, and we are proud of the students for stepping up to the challenge,” Hinojosa says. “We are equally proud of the teachers, principals and other staff who worked hard to achieve this kind of success.”