FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, DC (May 8, 2025) — Magnet Schools of America (MSA) announced its 2024-2025 awards recipients during MSA 2025, April 7-10, 2025, in Nashville, TN. More than 1,700 magnet leaders and educators came together to network, share innovative practices, and celebrate excellence in magnet and theme-based education.
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate this year’s award winners, who exemplify the very best of what magnet schools offer—choice, innovation, excellence, and opportunity,” said Ramin Taheri, CEO of Magnet Schools of America. “Their dedication inspires all of us as we work together to ensure that every student, no matter their background, has access to a transformative, high-quality education.”
All national award recipients were officially honored at the National Merit Award Celebration on Thursday, April 10. MSA’s Merit Awards of Excellence and Distinction recognize member magnet schools that demonstrate an exemplary commitment to the Five Pillars of magnet education. All merit schools are celebrated at the annual conference; the top five schools are listed below, along with the New and Emerging Magnet School award, which honors leadership and commitment.
Dr. Ronald P. Simpson Magnet School of Merit Award of Excellence, MSA’s most prestigious award for magnet schools. Cleveland Charter High School Humanities Magnet, Reseda, California, Los Angeles Unified School District. Cleveland Humanities Magnet is a masterclass in what happens when education is rooted in the study of human beings across time and space. At the CORE, literally and figuratively, they emphasize history, literature, philosophy, and art, all integrated into a rich, interdisciplinary curriculum.
Donald R. Waldrip Magnet School of Merit Award of Excellence. Millbrook Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary, Wake County, North Carolina. At Millbrook, students don’t just sit in classrooms—they embark on expeditions, dive into environmental inquiry, and experience field lessons that bring learning to life. They literally have expedition electives as a part of their school day. Millbrook seamlessly weaves the Environmental Connections theme throughout the core curriculum and physical environment.
Elementary Magnet School of Merit Award of Excellence. Lincoln Heights Environmental Connections Magnet Elementary School, Wake County, North Carolina. At Lincoln, every lesson, project, and expedition is designed through the lens of environmental and life sciences, giving students the tools to understand, explore, and protect the world around them. Learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom—it happens outdoors, in nature’s very own laboratory. Through hands-on experiences, project-based inquiry, and interdisciplinary expeditions, students discover how humanity and nature are deeply connected.
Secondary Magnet School of Merit Award of Excellence. Del Sol Academy of the Performing Arts, Clark County School District, Las Vegas, Nevada. Their students dive deep into immersive, hands-on arts training and experiences that connect passion with purpose. Each year, students take three specialized performing arts major classes and five arts-integrated core classes–from Band and Choir to Costume Design, Cinematic Arts to Mariachi, Theatre, Dance, Vocal, Orchestra and more!
President’s Magnet School of Merit Award of Excellence. Echo Park Elementary School of Leadership, Engineering, and Technology, Burnsville, Minnesota. At Echo Park, students aren’t just learning; they’re engineering solutions, tackling real-world problems, and using their voices to make an impact. With a curriculum that’s rigorous and hands-on, students develop problem-solving skills and critical and creative thinking. They offer a variety of before-school electives and extended-day Engineering enrichments. The magic of Echo Park’s magnet programming isn’t just in what students learn, it’s in how they learn.
New & Emerging Magnet School of Merit Award of Excellence. Stephen Decatur Middle School 35 – Magnet School of Leadership, Exploration, and the Arts, New York City, District 16. At Stephen Decatur, students aren’t just learning, they’re becoming confident, creative, and compassionate leaders. With a curriculum that blends core academics, leadership skills, the arts, and social awareness, this school is truly about educating the whole child.
National Magnet Teacher of the Year Award. Pam Klink, Anne Arundel County. Pam is a dedicated culinary arts educator at the Center of Applied Technology South who has transformed her classroom into a dynamic space for developing technical skills, cultivating creativity, and embracing sustainability through real-world learning. From launching an exemplary Honors Culinary Arts program to bringing multilingual families together for Family Cooking Nights, Pam empowers students to thrive far beyond the kitchen.
Magnet School Principal of the Year. Rebecca McMurrrin, Ulysses S. Grant High School College Prep and Digital Arts Magnet, Los Angeles Unified School District. Under her visionary leadership, Grant’s magnet program has flourished, serving students from 27 different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. With a deep commitment to inclusive student engagement, Rebecca has integrated students served through special education into general education classrooms, expanded culturally relevant teaching practices, and built a project-based learning curriculum that fosters meaningful interaction across learners.
Magnet School Superintendent of the Year. Clayton County Public Schools stands out for its bold commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and inclusive community engagement. Through groundbreaking programs, cultural partnerships, and expanding magnet and STEM opportunities, the district empowers every student to thrive in a dynamic, diverse world.
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The single largest form of public school “choice,” magnet schools are visionary, innovative and open to all students regardless of zip code.There are currently more than 4,340 magnet schools, serving nearly 3.5 million students across 46 states and the District of Columbia.
For more information on magnet schools, visit http://magnet.edu/
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Magnet Schools of America (MSA) is a nonprofit education association that represents more than 4,340 magnet schools serving nearly 3.5 million students across 46 states and the District of Columbia. MSA was founded in 1986 and authorized as a 501(c)3 in 1994. It supports and serves the leaders and teachers of magnet and theme-based schools, while promoting the development of new magnet programs.
Raise the level of performance consistent throughout school districts nationwide and creates a platform from which all magnet schools can flourish. Magnet Schools of America’s national certification process is designed to recognize the hard work of the best magnet schools in the nation and to help them as they grow.
