If you have ever wondered how your child's school stacks up against others from across the country, the 2008 U.S. News & World Report "America's Best High Schools" edition answered that question for many parents in the Allegheny Region. Eleven schools from seven counties ranked in the top 10 percent of nearly 19,000 schools surveyed from 40 states.

State College Area High School in Centre County received a silver award, one of only 21 silver and gold winners statewide, and the highest ranked school locally. The remaining 10 honorees, many of them small or rural schools, were bronze winners. Those recipients included Salisbury-Elklick, Windber Area, Shanksville Stonycreek, and Berlin Brothersvalley High Schools in Somerset County; Cambria Heights and Ferndale Area High Schools in Cambria County; Harmony Area High School in Clearfield County; Tyrone Area High School in Blair County; Ridgway Area High School in Elk County; and Hyndman High School in Bedford County.

The ranking was based on the fundamental principle that a great high school must serve all of its students well. The report also looked at college readiness, reading and math test results and performance of economically disadvantaged students.

Success By 6 featured a unique scholarship program at Altoona Area High School in 2008. In recent years, the Physics Challenge, which was funded by a 1991 Altoona grad, has doled out $60,000 in scholarship money to graduating seniors who have taken and passed physics and plan to further their education.

A 15-year-old contender for a world championship equestrian competition was another Success By 6 standout in 2008. Mary Kimmel of Somerset County will compete in the American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Show in August 2009.

Also from Somerset County, Miranda Zimmerman, a graduate of North Star High School, won the title of 2008 Pennsylvania Outstanding Young Woman.

And what would Success By 6 be without the accomplishments of exceptional teachers? Students at Cathedral Catholic Academy in suburban Johnstwon didn't just learn about authors and illustrators in 2008; they learned from two of them. Charles Madera, who teaches art and computers at Cathedral Catholic, published a book about life in the old west. Colleague Kim Seigh's novel told of growing up in Johnstown in the early 1900s.

Part two of Success By 6: A Year In Review will focus on inspiring stories of young people who made a real difference in their schools and communities in 2008.