SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Slippery Rock High School may be join an exclusive club later this year.

The school was nominated and has submitted an application to be recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School.

The National Blue Ribbon Schools Program is operated by the U.S Department of Education and recognizes public and private schools for “overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups,” according to its website.

Principal Kristie Shulsky said she was notified of the nomination in January by Karl Streckewald of the state Department of Education.

School administrators had to fill out a 31-page application, which was submitted in March. The winners will be announced in the fall and representatives of each school will be recognized at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

“We have made significant gains in academic achievements in the last five years,” Shulsky said.

Five years ago the high school had some of the lowest test scores in the region. Since then it has steadily improved and now has the second highest scores out of the 28 districts in its Intermediate Unit, which includes Butler, Mercer and Lawrence counties, she said.

The Blue Ribbon Schools Program was established in 1982 and has since recognized more than 7,500 individual schools nationwide, including 340 in 2014.

If recognized, the school also will receive a banner and flag it can display.

Last year, there were 14 schools in Pennsylvania that were honored, and 13 Pennsylvania schools have been nominated, she said.

“It's certainly prestigious to be nominated,” said Alfonso Angelucci, school superintedent.