Blue ribbon Blue ribbon The blue ribbon is a symbol of high quality. The association comes from The Blue Riband, a prize awarded for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic Ocean by passenger liners and, prior to that from Cordon Bleu, which referred to the blue ribbon worn by a particular order of knights. The spelling "blue riband" is still encountered in most English-speaking countries, but in the United States, the term was altered to "blue ribbon", and ribbons of this color came to be awarded for first place in certain athletic or other competitive endeavours (such as county and state fairs).
Blue Valley North High School activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs. Blue Valley North High School was established in 1986 in order to help educate students due to the rapid development of Overland Park, Kansas. Blue Valley North won the Blue Ribbon Award in the 1990-1991 academic year, one of the most successful years for the school. Blue Valley North won the award again in the 2007-2008 academic year. The "U.S. News & World Report" ranks Blue Valley North as the best high school (#1) in the State of Kansas, a distinction it also received in 2016