CHICAGO (WBBM) – You can’t blame students and teachers at Jones College Prep High School if they’re feeling extra proud these days.

As WBBM Newsradio 780’s Bob Conway explains, the school, located at 606 S. State St., has won more of the state’s academic awards than any other Illinois public school in recent years.

LISTEN: Newsradio 780′s Bob Conway reports

The school won 14 awards as part of its honor roll program.

Illinois school Supt. Christopher Koch calls it a remarkable achievement.

Jones is one of the city’s most selective high schools. More than 80 percent of its students, many of whom come from families living below the poverty line, exceed the state’s reading and math standards.

Jones College Prep began as Jones High School at Plymouth Court and Harrison Street in 1938. Its current incarnation dates back to 1998, with a mission geared toward blending academic disciplines, technology and the arts, partnering with universities and businesses, and using the city’s finest technical and artistic resources.

The school’s current building was originally opened for juniors and seniors, and was designed to look like an office building.