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Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Anita Bonds 2
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Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. 6
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Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 10
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Councilmember Vincent C. Gray Councilmember Zachary Parker 14
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Councilmember Matthew Frumin Councilmember Christina Henderson 18
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Councilmember Brooke Pinto Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie 22
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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION 25
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 28
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To recognize and honor Benjamin Banneker Academic High School for over four 32
decades of academic excellence and recent increasing national acclaim. 33
WHEREAS, Benjamin Banneker Academic High School (“Banneker”), opened its doors 34
to students in August 1981; 35
WHEREAS, the school, designed as a highly selective neighborhood Junior High School 36
by founder Vincent Emory Reed, pays homage to Benjamin Banneker, an African-American 37
scientist, almanac author, inventor, surveyor, farmer, and scholar; 38
WHEREAS, Banneker has a well-documented history of preparing high school scholars 39
to be high preforming and meaningful contributors in the world; 40
WHEREAS, they accomplish this goal by providing students with an academically 41
engaging curricula, college preparatory program, and varied developmental experiences; 42
WHEREAS, Banneker became an International Baccalaureate World School in 2001; 43 WHEREAS, in 2022, Banneker has received mentionable accolades, such as being 44
ranked number one in the District of Columbia High Schools, number two in Washington, D.C. 45
Metro Area High Schools, and an all-time high of 96
th
in National Rankings by U.S. News; 46
WHEREAS, the U.S. Department of Education named Banneker as a Blue Ribbon 47
School in 1990, 1991, 2007 and 2017; 48
WHEREAS, in 2017, Newsweek highlighted Banneker as ranking 13 out of the top high 49
schools nationally in “Beating the Odds”; 50
WHEREAS, in August 2021, Banneker celebrated its 40
th
anniversary and was named a 51
Gold Medal School by U.S. News; 52
WHEREAS, in 2022, U.S. News named Banneker the Best High School in the District of 53
Columbia. 54
WHEREAS, Banneker has a long track record of academic achievement and consistently 55
prepares their scholars to surpass highly competitive benchmarks; 56
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RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, that this 58
resolution be cited as the “Benjamin Banneker Academic High School Recognition Resolution of 59
2023.” 60
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes that Banneker cultivates the 61
talent of brilliant scholars from all eight wards of the District of Columbia and realizes the fruit 62
of their work by the placement of many of their graduates in courtrooms, classrooms, science 63
laboratories, engineering and technological spaces, medical facilities, and other highly selective 64
professional arenas all over the world. 65
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Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in 67
the District of Columbia Register. 68