Four Hawaii public middle schools have won a 2026 national Schools of Distinction award, good news for families and staff in a school system that rarely gets this kind of attention.

• Ninefour Hawaii schools statewide earned the 2026 Schools of Distinction honor, including Aiea and Waipahu-area intermediate schools and Nānākuli-area middle schools.
• Hawaii now holds more Schools of Distinction than any other state, which school leaders credit to teacher commitment and close ties with students.
• The award focuses on the middle school years, when kids change fast physically, mentally, and socially and need extra support.
• Winning schools point to a strong start-of-year culture push — perseverance, respect, integrity, discipline, excellence — plus wide club and activity choices so every student finds a place to belong.
• Students say the first weeks are built around getting to know teachers and trying new clubs, from drama and volleyball to weightlifting, music, and agriculture tech.

Outlook: Expect the recognized schools to lean further into clubs and extracurriculars as the model other Hawaii schools are asked to copy.