Mark Wilcox/Daily Mining Gazette

HOUGHTON — Houghton High School shines nationwide according to a list published by U.S. News and World Report. HHS is ranked 1,610th on a national level and 45th among Michigan high schools. The U.S. News and World Report ranked the list on school performance on state required tests, graduation and college preparation.

According to the U.S. and World Report website, the statistics show Houghton High School nationally ranks 428th science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) out of more than 24,000 schools. The school had 54 percent of students take at least one Advanced Placement (AP) exam and 44 percent of students pass at least one AP exam. The graduation rate of the school sits at 96 percent with its overall scorecard is rated 91.01. The College Readiness Index Rank puts Houghton High School at 34th statewide and 1,583rd nationwide. The school’s percentage score on Michigan Merit Examination SAT and Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress comes in at 87.4 percent.

“It’s a real honor and credit to our teachers and the relationships that they build and their ability to get students to perform at really high level,” Houghton-Portage Township Schools Superintendent Anders Hill said. “So we’re really proud of it. It’s really quite an honor. I think there’s only a handful of Michigan schools that are on that top 500 STEM school list.”

This is the second time the high school ranked in the top 500 STEM high schools. Hill believes the recognition is the result of the school’s educators and staff setting high expectations for the students and the student body which buys into building a supportive community. He also believes the leadership of Principal Tiffany Scullion has contributed to this milestone.

“She’s such a strong leader and is somebody that really cares about kids and the people she works with, and it’s evident,” Hill said. He added the recognition is also a district award in a way, since the education from Kindergarten to eight grade prepared the students for high school.

In a school press release, Scullion said the honor is a direct reflection of the amazing work and dedication provided every day by the school’s teachers, staff, students and families. Hill wants the students to graduate high school and have great opportunities to make the sense of community and the Houghton area stronger.

“We want kids to have great opportunities when they leave high school. So that’s the standard which is set, and it’s something that will continue to move forward. The ranking is not important. Pushing kids to be their best is what’s important, and the ranking is just a byproduct of what we do every day,” Hill said.