The U.S. Department of Education has awarded a 2010 National Blue Ribbon Award to Johnston Middle School. This is the highest honor the Department of Education can bestow on a school and one that the teachers, staff and students worked very hard to earn.

According to the Department of Education Blue Ribbon Schools website, "The Blue Ribbon Schools Program honors public and private elementary, middle, and high schools that are either high performing or have improved student achievement to high levels, especially among disadvantaged students. The program is part of a larger Department of Education effort to identify and disseminate knowledge about best school leadership and teaching practices. Each year since 1982, the U.S. Department of Education has sought out schools where students attain and maintain high academic goals, including those that beat the odds."

After the official announcement in Washington D.C., an announcement ceremony was held at Johnston Middle School on Friday, September 10, 2010 to celebrate this great achievement.