Simi Valley's Apollo High School was named one of 14 model continuation high schools by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell last Wednesday.

"To put it simply, we feel proud to rank with the state's best," said Apollo Principal Dean May.

Bill Waxman, director of secondary education, called the honor a "great feather in the cap" for the school and Simi Valley Unified School District.

O'Connell stressed the increased importance of the role continuation schools play in helping struggling students get back on track.

"In these challenging economic times, the risk of vulnerable students dropping out of school is greater than ever," O'Connell said in a written statement. "These model continuation high schools may provide the last connection that keeps troubled students in school, on a path to graduate, and on to better opportunities in life, college and careers."

Senior Hunter Dawson, 17, said many students start taking education more seriously once they arrive on campus. He also said the friendliness of Apollo's teachers and staff makes students feel more comfortable in the classroom.

"Everyone feels like they've been rejected, so a lot of students think this may be their last chance and they try harder to get their grades up," Dawson said. "One cool thing about Apollo is that everyone talks to each other on a first-name basis. Instead of teachers talking over you, they're talking with you."

May said many students find Apollo's small campus on School Street more conducive to the learning process.

"For the kids who have a hard time fitting in at larger schools, the biggest benefit they have is feeling like they are part of a smaller community where people know who they are," the first-year principal said. "The teachers, office staff and counselors … take the time to get to know the total picture of who they are and where they're coming from."

Apollo applied for the honor last summer. A two-member panel from the state visited the school in December to conduct a review.

May said the lifespan of the award is three years. The school must submit a yearly progress report to the state and prove how it has maintained the same quality programs.

Apollo joins a list 75 model continuation high schools in California.

The state has 523 continuation high schools serving more than 71,000 students.

May said he thinks that Apollo can do more to reach out to students who continue to struggle, so nobody feels rejected.

"I'd like to look at kids who still have a hard time fitting in or feel like they don't belong anywhere," he said. "I want to try to rein in those individuals so they can feel and enjoy the same success that a majority of our students feel."