Averill Park HS was named a School of Excellence by the NYSPHSAA as 22 out of 23 of our varsity teams were named Scholar-Athlete teams during the 2024-25 school year. The School of Excellence designation is awarded to schools that apply and have at least 75% of their varsity teams achieve this same academic recognition. This year, 221 schools earned the School of Excellence Award. The purpose of the awards is to unite athletic departments in challenging their teams to achieve a statewide academic honor. Winning schools will receive their commemorative awards at their local athletic director workshop this fall.
“Congratulations to our Schools of Distinction and Excellence,” said Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director. “These prestigious honors represent the culmination of a school year marked by outstanding achievement in the classroom. These accolades would not be possible without the dedication, hard work, and commitment of the student-athletes, coaches, and administrators whose efforts these awards proudly recognize.”
Established in the 1991–92 school year, NYSPHSAA’s Scholar-Athlete Team Award has a proud tradition of honoring academic achievement among student-athletes. The School of Distinction Award, introduced in 2002–03, and the School of Excellence Award, launched in 2016–17, further celebrate schools that exemplify a commitment to success in the classroom while balancing the demands of athletic participation. Together, these honors showcase the dedication, discipline, and excellence demonstrated by students and school communities across New York State.
The full list of School of School of Excellence Award winners can be viewed here.
