An Award-Winning District
The National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence award, from the U.S. Department of Education, was first awarded to H-F in 1983 (only the second year of the program). Given to the most outstanding public and private schools across the U.S., the award identified exemplary schools that exhibit a strong commitment to educational excellence for all students, model equity, and succeed in furthering the intellectual, social, moral and physical growth of all students. Refusing to rest on its success, the school continued to excel and received the prestigious award again in 1996. When in 2002, the U.S. Department of Education announced H-F had again been named a Blue Ribbon school, it became one of only 14 public schools nationwide, and two in Illinois, to claim the honor three times.
Additional District Awards
Homewood-Flossmoor has been ranked annually in the Washington Post's America's Most Challenging High Schools report. Additional awards of note:
- In 2020, H-F was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a Best High School in America.
- In 2016, H-F was named a Safe Sports School 1st Team by the National Athletic Trainers Association.
- In 2015, the school's North Building Fieldhouse Addition earned a LEED gold-level by the U.S. Green Building Council.
- In 2014, H-F received the Illinois Exemplary Reading Program Award from the International Reading Association.
- The school's quarterly community newsletter -The Viking Connection- received a certificate of excellence from the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association in 2014.
- The H-F High School website - hfhighschool.org - received a certificate of excellence from the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association in 2013.
- In 2013-14, H-F became an authorized Microsoft Office Specialist Testing Center, allowing students to earn their Microsoft Office Specialist certification via their H-F Computer Applications class.
- Since 2005, H-F has annually received the highest financial profile score of "financial recognition" from the Illinois State Board of Education and was awarded a perfect 4.0 score in 2012.
- In 2010 & 2011, H-F received an exemplary ranking by the College Board for having one of the best AP Psychology programs in the country. H-F was the only Illinois high school to receive this prestigious ranking.
- H-F was awarded the Red Quill Award by the ACT for best practices in the use of assessments and data for the enhancement of curriculum and in continued dedication to students.
- In 2002, H-F was the only school in the nation to receive the U.S. Department of Education's Special Honor for Technology Usage.
- In 2010, H-F received its 17th in a row Bright Red Apple Award for educational excellence! School Search chose H-F as one of only 83 Illinois School Districts out of 869 districts for the award.