Teachers from Island Park and Lakeridge elementary schools, along with Gary Plano, Mercer Island School superintendent, took part in a ceremony honoring the schools with the state’s overall achievement award.

The award is given to the top five percent of elementary, middle and high schools around the state. The honor is based on performance according to the Washington Achievement Index, a measurement of how schools in the state are performing over time.

This is the third time Lakeridge and Island Park have earned the honor. Mercer Island High School brought home the award in 2009 and 2010, while Island Park earned a special math achievement and language arts award in 2009, in addition to its 2009 overall award.