As in Abelon's vision, students and staff "banded together with a common purpose to shape this school into the high-performing, now nationally recognized, institutions it is today," she said.
The Blue Ribbon award is given only to schools that reach the top 10 percent of their state's testing scores over several years or show significant gains in student achievement. It is considered the highest honor a school can achieve.
St. Joseph School in Vernon and Hartford Magnet Middle School also were designated as Blue Ribbon schools.
On top of the actual award, Gov. M. Jodi Rell recognized the school by making Nov. 15, 2006, Connecticut International Baccalaureate Academy Blue Ribbon Day, and the state General Assembly honored the school with an official citation.
Principal Arthur Arpin, who stepped into his position this summer, said Wednesday was "a very, very exciting morning for us," but said he takes no credit for the achievement.
Instead, he said students and staff were the real reason for the Blue Ribbon.
"It's kind of a nice culmination we've had - all the sweat and blood over the past years," junior Justin Damon, 16, of East Hartford said. "It's nice to have national recognition for our work."
Junior Joao Batista, 16, of Hartford said, "We work very hard. We deserve it," then looked over at Damon and junior Kayla Rettburg, and repeated, "Seriously, we do deserve it."
Rettburg, 16, of Manchester agreed with Batista and added that the award was a great way to show off the school and would be an impressive boost when applying to colleges.
Michael Sentance, of the U.S. Department of Education, vigorously applauded the work at the school, saying the Blue Ribbon signified more than just a good word about CIBA.
Sentance explained that the Blue Ribbon awards process recently was overhauled, making the criteria for winning and the nomination process far more rigorous and standardized.
And in winning, he said, the school can be held up as a paragon for national education.
"This school is not simply a nice thing; it's something we desperately need," Sentance told the crowd. "It's not a good school, it's one of the best schools in the United States of America."
The ceremony included a rendition of Billy Joel's "Lullaby" by East Hartford High School singing group Next Edition, a song by the CIBA Choir, and several other student presentations.
CIBA was created in 1999 and its first graduating class received its diplomas in 2003.
The public school - which has a strong focus on a pre-university curriculum of science and arts as well as community service - moved into its new $13.6 million facility nearly four years ago, called the Michael H. Abelon building, right next to EHHS.
Becky DeLois, Abelon's sister, said after the ceremony about her brother: "His spirit is everywhere and there's new spirit here, which is wonderful."