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KEOSAUQUA, IOWA -- Van Buren High School staff and students have good reason to be proud of their school this year.

The high school’s four-year cohort graduation rate is 96.23 %. The state of Iowa’s average is 88.32 %.

Van Buren has consistently had high graduation rates over the past years.

“I think a lot of that comes from the community. And being in a smaller setting, kids make relationships. They develop relationships with those teachers a lot easier. They get to see those teachers several times throughout the year and throughout the day, so I think that's a big factor too,” says Chuck Banks, secondary principal at Van Buren High School.

The high school has a lot of programs which prepare the students for life after graduation.

“We have an M.O.T. program where students actually go out into the community, and they get experience working with community members which is good for the kids and builds a good relationship with the community and with the district,” said Banks.

Banks believes the students genuinely want to do well in school. The students’ parents also play an integral part in their child’s success.